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MK 36 Gun Fire Control System (GFCS

The MK 34 Gun Fire Control System (GFCS) is an integral part of the Aegis combat weapon system on DDG-51 class ships. It is used to engage surface, air and shore targets. MK 34 GFCS can maintain a track file on up to four Surface Direct Fire (SDF) or Antiair (AA) targets assigned by Command and Decision (C&D), and a maximum of 10 NGFS targets entered at the Gun Console (GC).

When a specific assigned target is designated for engagement, the Gun Computer System (GCS) MK 160 Mod 4 computes two fire control solutions (primary and secondary) depending on the type of projectile to be fired. Gun orders based on the selected projectile's solution are sent to the gun mount. (Only one target can be engaged at a time.) The Gun Computer System (GCS) MK 160 Mod 4 accepts target data from the Aegis combat weapon system target sensors (i.e., AN/SPY-1D and AN/SPS-67 radars), and/or operator-entered data for indirect targets. Based on this target data, together with the ship's attitude and clock data, the GCS computes ballistic solutions and gun orders for the mount.

The Naval Gunfire Support [NGFS] mode is used to engage indirect targets that cannot be tracked directly by own-ship sensors. The Surface Direct Fire [SDF] mode is used to engage surface targets being tracked by the SPY-1D, SPS-67 or Optical Sight (OS) MK 46. Targets are assigned by C&D and control of the gun engagement under normal conditions is at the Gun Console (GC). Casualty configurations allow control of the gun mount from GMP in the SDC/GMP OS mode or from either the GMCP or EP2 if the OS is not operational. The gun console operator monitors the target position and the ballistic solution processing, presses the firing key to commence fire, and evaluates the target engagement.

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http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/weaps/mk-36-gfcs.htm
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Saturday, December 12, 1998 7:17:49 AM