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With the reactivation of the Iowa-class battleships, the US Navy once again mounts the biggest guns on the ocean! But beyond these battleships, there has been a steady decline of naval guns as the older cruisers and destroyers have been decommissioned.

All cruisers armed with 8-inch and 6-inch guns have been retired, as have all of the 5-inch gunned FRAM destroyers and all but one of the 18 destroyers of the Forrest Sherman-class.

The principal guns now being installed in the US Navy and Coast Guard ships are the 5-inch Mk45 Lightweight Gun, the 76mm Mk75 OTO-Melara and the 20mm Mk15 Phalanx CIWS. The 50inch guns are considered primarily for shore bombardment, with a limited air defense capability. The 76mm gun is for air defense and the CIWS is for close-in defense against anti-ship missiles.

The only foreign warships currently in service ate the ten Sverdlov-class light cruisers of the Soviet Navy, mounting between 8-12 6-inch guns. The introduction of the Sovremennyy-class destroyers, the Slava-class cruisers and the Kirov-class battlecruisers has seen the introduction of the 130mm/70-caliber guns

And now, for all of those gun-nuts out there…

The 16-inch/50-caliber Mk7 Mod 0 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,425 fps AP; 2,690fps HC
Crew: 79
Weight: 1,700 tons per ea triple-mount turret
Rate of Fire: 2 rpm per barrel
Maximum Range: 40,185 yds AP, 41,622yds HC
Projectile Weight: 2,700lbs AP, 1,900lbs HC
Ships: Iowa-class BB

The 8-inch/55-caliber Mk16 Mod 0 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,800fps
Crew: 45
Weight: 451 tons per ea triple mount turret
Rate of Fire: 10rpm per barrel
Maximum Range: 30,100yds AP, 31,350yds HC
Projectile Weights: 335lbs AP, 260lbs HC
Ships: Des Moines-class CA

The 8-inch/55-caliber Major Caliber Lightweight Gun Mk71
Muzzle Velocity: 2,800fps
Crew: 6
Weight: 172,895lbs for single tube mount
Rate of Fire: 12rpm
Maximum Range: 31,408yds
Projectile Weight: 260lbs
Ships: program cancelled, originally designed to replace the forward 5-inch mount on the Spruance-class destroyers, one was mounted on USS Hull between 1975-79, it is estimated that some 12 were procured.

The 5-inch/54-caliber Mk45 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,500fps
Crew: 6
Weight: 47,820lbs
Rate of Fire: 16-20rpm
Maximum Range: 25,909 yds HC, 48,700 RAP-HC
Projectile Weight: 70lbs
Ships: CGN-38, CGN-36, CG-47, DDG-993, DD-963, LHA-1 classes

5-inch/54-caliber Mk42 gun Mark 18 Mod 0
Muzzle Velocity: 2,650fps
Crew: 14
Weight: 145,000lbs (early versions) to 139,000lbs
Rate of Fire: 20rpm
Maximum Range: 25,909yds HC
Projectile Weight: 70lbs
Ships: CGN 35, CG-26, DDG-37, DD-931, FF-1052 classes

The 5-inch/38-caliber Mk32 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,500fps
Crew: 27
Weight: 120,000lbs
Rate of Fire: 18rpm
Maximum Range: 17,306yds
Projectile Weight: 55lbs
Ships: CA-134 class (the twin mount dates from WWII)

5-inch/38caliber Mk30 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,500fps
Crew: 17
Weight: 45,000lbs
Rate of Fire: 18rpm
Maximum Range: 17,306yds
Projectile Weight: 55lbs
Ships: CGN 9, FFG 1, FF 1098, FFF 1040, AS 11, WHEC 715,
WHEC 39, WHEC 379, WHEC 31 classes (Single mount dating from WWII)

5-inch/38-caliber Mk28 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,500fps
Crew: 27
Weight: 153,000
Rate of Fire: 18rpm
Maximum Range: 17,306yds
Projectile Weight: 55lbs
Ships: BB-61

5-inch/38-caliber Mk24 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,500fps
Crew: 15
Weight: 33,100lbs
Rate of Fire: 18rpm
Maximum Range: 17,306yds
Projectile Weight: 55lbs
Ships: CV 9-19 (single mount)

76mm/62-caliber Mk75 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 3,000 fps
Crew: 4
Weight: 13,680lbs
Rate of Fire: 75-85rpm
Maximum Range: 21,000yds
Projectile Weight: 14lbs
Ships: FFG 7, PHM 1, WHEC 715, WMEC 901

3-inch/50-caliber Mk33 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,650fps
Crew: 12
Weight: 33,000lbs
Rate of Fire: 50rpm
Maximum Range: 14,041yds
Projectile Weight: 7lbs
Ships: CA 134, DD 931, FF 1037, LCC 19, AGF 3/11, AS 33
Generally considered to be ineffective and difficult to maintain. Normally fired in local control only.

3-inch/50-caliber Mk27 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,650fps
Crew: 12
Weight: 30,960lbs
Rate of Fire: 50rpm
Maximum Range: 14,041yds
Projectile Weight: 7lbs
Ships: CA-134

3-inch/50-caliber Mk26 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,650fps
Crew: 11
Weight: 9,210
Rate of Fire: 2-rpm
Maximum Range: 14,041
Projectile Weight: 7lbs
Ships: auxiliaries
Single mount

3-inch/50-caliber Mk22 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,650fps
Crew: 11
Weight: 7,510lbs
Rate of Fire: 20rpm
Maximum Range: 14,041yds
Projectile Weight: 7lbs
Ships: WMEC 615, WMEC-76
Single mount

40mm/60-caliber Mk3 Mod 9 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,800fps
Crew: 1
Weight: 13,800lbs
Rate of Fire: 160rpm
Maximum Range: 5,000yds
Projectile Weight: 2lbs
Ships: PB Mk III
Single mount

40mm/60-caliber Mk2 Mod 18 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,800fps
Crew: 11
Weight: 23,800lbs
Rate of Fire: 160rpm
Maximum Range: 11,000yds
Projectile Weight: 2lbs
Ships: ARL 24
Quad 40mm of WWII fame

40mm Automatic Grenade Launcher Mk19
Muzzle Velocity:
Crew: 1
Weight: 72.5lbs
Rate of Fire: 375rpm
Maximum Range: 2,400yds
Projectile Weight: 0.4lb
Ships: amphibious, small combatant, auxiliaries

25mm Close-in Weapon System (Sea Vulcan)
Muzzle Velocity: 4,400fps
Crew: unmanned
Weight: 2,800lbs
Rate of Fire: 2,000rpm
Maximum Range: 5,500yds
Projectile Weight: 6.4lbs
Ships: SES-2000 (evaluation)

20mm Mk68 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,740fps
Crew: 1
Weight: 900lbs
Rate of Fire: 800rpm
Maximum Range: 4,800yds
Projectile Weight: 0.75lbs
Ships: auxiliaries

20mm Mk67 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,740fps
Crew: 1
Weight: 475lbs
Rate of Fire: 800rpm
Maximum Range: 4,800yds
Projectile Weight: 0.75lbs
Ships: amphibious ships, auxiliaries

20mm/76-caliber Close-in Weapon System Mk 15 (Phalanx)
Muzzle Velocity:
Crew: unmanned
Weight: 12,000lbs
Rate of Fire: 3,000rpm
Maximum Range: 1,625yds
Projectile Weight: 0.75lbs
Ships: all warships, many auxiliaries and amphibious ships

20mm/70-caliber Mk10 gun
Muzzle Velocity: 2,730lbs
Crew: 2
Weight: 1,000lbs
Rate of Fire: 450rpm
Maximum Range: 4,800yds
Projectile Weight: 0.2lbs
Ships: auxiliaries

81mm Mortar Mk2
Muzzle Velocity:
Crew: 2
Weight: 580lbs
Rate of Fire: 10rpm in trigger mode, 18rpm in drop-fire mode
Maximum Range: 2,200yds
Projectile Weight: 10.85lbs
Ships: WPC
Usually mounted in a piggy mount with a .50-caliber machine gun

Source material is the “13th and 14th Editions, The Ships and Aircraft of the US Fleet”