The DEFA cannon (''Direction des Études et Fabrications d'Armement'') is a family of widely-used French-made aircraft

revolver cannon A revolver cannon is a type of autocannon, commonly used as an aircraft gun. It uses a cylinder with multiple chambers, like those of a revolver handgun, to speed up the loading-firing-ejection cycle. Some examples are also power-driven, to fur ...

firing

30 mm caliber 30 mm caliber is a specific size of popular autocannon ammunition. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30×113mmB and 30×173mm (STANAG 4624), Soviet 30×155mmB, 30×165mm, and 30×210mmB, Yugoslav 30×192mm, Anglo-Swiss 30×170mm, and ...

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

standard rounds.

Design history

The initial DEFA 551 was developed in the late 1940s. It is based on the German

Mauser MG 213 The Mauser MG 213 was a 20 mm aircraft-mounted revolver cannon developed for the ''Luftwaffe'' during World War II. It was never put into service, but the principles formed the basis for several post-war developments by the Allies. A 30 mm ver ...

C, an experimental

developed for the ''

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

''. The MG 213 never reached production, but inspired the DEFA, the very similar British

ADEN cannon The Royal Small Arms Factory ADEN cannon (ADEN being an acronym for "Armament Development, Enfield") is a 30 mm revolver cannon used on many military aircraft, particularly those of the British Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm. Developed po ...

, and the smaller American

M39 cannon The M39 cannon is a 20 mm caliber single-barreled revolver cannon developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1940s. It was used on a number of fighter aircraft from the early 1950s through the 1980s. Development The M39 was developed ...

. As the ''DEFA 552'' it entered production in 1954. In 1968 an upgraded version, Canon 550-F3, was developed, entering production in 1971 as the ''DEFA 553''. The new version provided a new feed system, nitro-chrome plated steel barrel, forged drum casing, and improved electrical reliability.

Overview

The DEFA 553 is a

gas-operated Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate locked breech, autoloading firearms. In gas-operation, a portion of high-pressure gas from the cartridge being fired is used to power a mechanism to dispose of the spent ...

five-chamber

using pyrotechnic cocking and electrical ignition. It fires a range of 30 mm ammunition of various types, and is capable of continuous fire or 0.5-second or 1-second bursts. The 553 was superseded by the DEFA 554, which incorporates a number of detail improvements. The DEFA 554 uses three, rather than two, of the chambers for reloading, increasing the rate of fire. Barrel life and mechanical reliability are improved, and an electrical control unit allows the pilot to select two rates of fire: 1,800 rounds per minute for air-to-air use or 1,200 rounds per minute for air-to-ground attacks. The 554 also provides three

Pyrotechnic cocking charge A pyrotechnic cocking charge is a device used to cock or re-cock a gas-operated automatic cannon, such as the Mauser BK-27 or the Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23. Such devices are not necessary in an externally powered cannon, such as the electrically ...

s rather than one, allowing the pilot to cock the weapon after take-off and have two cartridges to re-cock the weapon if necessary in flight.

Service use

The DEFA 550 series was the standard cannon armament of all gun-armed French fighters from 1954 until the advent of the

Dassault Rafale The Dassault Rafale (, literally meaning "gust of wind", and "burst of fire" in a more military sense) is a French twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Equipped with a wide ran ...

in the 1980s. A pair of these weapons, with 125–135 rounds per gun, is standard fit on the Brazilian ground-attack aircraft

AMX International AMX The AMX International AMX is a ground-attack aircraft jointly developed by Brazil and Italy. The AMX is designated A-11 Ghibli by the Italian Air Force and A-1 by the Brazilian Air Force. The Italian name, "Ghibli", is taken from the hot dry ...

, the French

Dassault MD 450 Ouragan The Dassault M.D.450 Ouragan (french: Hurricane) is a French fighter-bomber developed and produced by Dassault Aviation. It has its origins in a private venture by Dassault to produce an all-French aircraft which would make use of jet propulsion ...

Dassault Mystere Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, and led by son Ser ...

, Mirage III/V,

Dassault Étendard IV The Dassault Étendard IV is a transonic carrier-borne strike fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by French aerospace company Dassault Aviation. It is the first indigenously designed carrier-capable jet aircraft to be produced in France. ...

and

Dassault Super Étendard Dassault Group (; also GIM Dassault or Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault SAS) is a French group of companies established in 1929 with the creation of Société des Avions Marcel Bloch (now Dassault Aviation) by Marcel Dassault, and led by son ...

Sud Aviation Vautour The Sud-Ouest Aviation (SNCASO) S.O. 4050 Vautour II (French for ''vulture'') was a French jet-powered bomber, interceptor, and attack aircraft developed and manufactured by aircraft company Sud Aviation. The Vautour was operated by France's '' ...

Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French fighter and attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was developed as a successor to the popular Mirage III family. During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would ...

SEPECAT Jaguar The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. It is still in service with the Indian Air Force. Originall ...

s, and the Mirage 2000 series. It was also used on Israeli Douglas A-4E/F/H/N Skyhawks,

IAI Nesher The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher (Hebrew: נשר, ' griffon vulture', often mistranslated as 'eagle') was the Israeli version of the French Dassault Mirage 5 multirole fighter.Gupta 1997, p. 105. Having sustained aircraft losses during the ...

IAI Kfir , abbreviated , is a Japanese martial art that emphasizes being aware and capable of quickly drawing the sword and responding to sudden attacks.Christensen, Karen and Allen Guttmann et.al (2001) ''International Encyclopedia of Women and Sports ...

, and

IAI Lavi The IAI Lavi (Hebrew: לביא, "Young Lion") was a single-engined fourth-generation multirole jet fighter developed in Israel, by Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), during the 1980s. The decision to develop the Lavi was controversial, both with ...

, the Italian Fiat G.91Y and

Aermacchi MB-326 The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet trainer designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successf ...

K, the Indonesian A-4, and the South African

Atlas Cheetah The Atlas Cheetah is a South African fighter aircraft designed and produced by the aviation company Atlas Aircraft Corporation (later Denel Aeronautics). It was developed at the behest of, and principally operated by, the South African Air F ...

and Impala Mk.II. Various

gun pod A gun pod is a detachable pod or pack containing machine guns, autocannons, revolver cannons, or rotary cannons and ancillaries, mounted externally on a vehicle such as a military aircraft which may or may not also have its own guns. Description ...

installations are available from CASA,

Dassault Aviation Dassault Aviation SA () is a French Aerospace manufacturer, manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets. It was founded in 1929 by Marcel Dassault, Marcel Bloch as Société des Avions Marcel Bloch or "MB". After World War II, Marc ...

, and

Matra Matra (an acronym for Mécanique Aviation Traction) was a French industrial conglomerate. During its years of operation, it was engaged in a wide range of business activities, primarily focused around automobiles, bicycles, aeronautics and w ...

. The DEFA 550 is very similar to the British ADEN cannon, and can use the same ammunition. The DEFA 550 series has given way to the

GIAT 30 The GIAT 30 is a series of 30 mm cannon developed to replace the DEFA 550 series weapons on French military aircraft. Introduced in the late 1980s, the GIAT 30 is a revolver cannon with electric ignition and automatic recocking. Unlike the DE ...

series used on the

, although it is likely to remain in widespread use for many years.

Variants

* DEFA 551 for the

Dassault Mystère IV The Dassault MD.454 Mystère IV is a 1950s French fighter-bomber aircraft, the first transonic aircraft to enter service with the French Air Force. It was used in large-scale combat in the Israeli Air Force during the 1967 Six Day War. Design ...

, the Dassault Mystère IIC, and the

* DEFA 552 for the Dassault Super Mystère B2, the Dassault Étendard IV, and the Aeritalia G.91Y * DEFA 552A for the Mirage III/ 5/50, the Nesher/Dagger/Finger, the

, and the

* DEFA 553 for the

Dassault Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French fighter and attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was developed as a successor to the popular Mirage III family. During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would ...

, the

Alpha Jet The Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light attack jet and advanced jet trainer co-manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France and Dornier Flugzeugwerke of Germany. It was developed specifically to perform trainer and light attack missions, as ...

, the SEPECAT Jaguar, the Dassault Super Etendard, the Mirage 2000D RMV, the Aermacchi MB-326K, the

CASA C-101 The CASA C-101 Aviojet is a low-wing single engine jet-powered advanced trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Spanish aircraft company Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA (CASA). The C-101 was developed in response to a ...

, the

, the Impala Mk II, the IA-58B/C, and the IA-63 * DEFA 554 for the single-seat Mirage 2000, the AMX A-1, the IA-58D, and the IA-63

Operators

Current operators

* : Mirage 2000, previously Super Étendard, Mirage F1, Jaguar, Mirage 5, Étendard IVM, Mirage III, Super Mystère B2, Mystère IV, Mystère IIC, and Vautour II * : Mirage 2000-9, previously Mirage 5, Mirage III, and MB-326K * : Mirage 2000I/TI, previously Mystère IV * : Mirage 2000-5 Mk2, previously Mirage F1 * : Kfir Block 60, previously Mirage 5 * : AMX, previously Mirage 2000C/B and Mirage III * : Mirage 2000-5, previously Mirage F1 * : Mirage 2000-5 * : Mirage F1 ASTRAC * : Mirage 5 ROSE and Mirage III * : Cheetah, previously Mirage F1, Kfir, Mirage 50 and Impala Mk II * : Super Étendard Modernisé, A-4 and IA-63, previously IA-58, Finger, Dagger, Mirage 5P, and Mirage III * : Mirage 2000P/DP, previously Mirage 5P * : Mirage 2000EM/BM and Mirage 5 * : Mirage F1 * : Kfir * : A-36 Toqui/C-101CC, previously Mirage 50, Mirage 5 and Mirage III * : Mirage F1, previously Mirage 5 * : Mirage F1, previously Mirage 5

Former operators

* : Mirage F1 and Mirage III * : Cheetah, Mirage F1, Nesher, Mirage III and Impala Mk II * : A-4, Lavi, Kfir, Nesher, Mirage 5, Mirage IIIC, Super Mystère B2, Mystère IV, and Vautour II * : C-101CC and Mirage F1 * : Super Étendard and Mirage F1 * : Mirage F1 * : Mirage 50, Mirage 5 and Mirage III * : Mirage 5 * : Mirage 5 * : Mirage 5 and MB-326K * : Mirage III * : Mirage III * : Mirage III * : Super Mystère B2 * : G.91Y * : A-4 * : MB-326K * : MB-326K

References

External links

Nexter website: DEFA 30M factsheet

South Africa Air Force: DEFA cannon factsheet

Video links

* of an Argentinian

IAI Dagger The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher (Hebrew: נשר, 'griffon vulture', often mistranslated as 'eagle') was the Israeli version of the French Dassault Mirage 5 multirole fighter.Gupta 1997, p. 105. Having sustained aircraft losses during the S ...

during the Battle of San Carlos {{DEFAULTSORT:Defa Cannon 30 mm artillery Aircraft guns Autocannon Nexter Systems Military equipment introduced in the 1950s