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| Oto Melara Mk 75 76mm/62 |
PHILADELPHIA -- Engineers at Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station (NAVSSES), Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division are harvesting weapon system components from decommissioned U.S. Navy frigates (FFGs) for re-use on Coast Guard cutters.
The harvesting of components from four decommissioned frigates will result in more than $24 million in cost avoidance, with more expected from a fifth ship. The Navy's leveraging of decommissioned ships' assets shows a judicious use of resources and collaboration between services.
The equipment includes MK 75, 76mm/62 caliber gun
- mounts, as well as
- gun control panels,
- barrels,
- launchers,
- junction boxes and other components.
The Coast Guard can use all of this equipment on cutters during the course of the ships' expected service life, which spans into the 2030s.
The MK 75 gun is suitable for installation on small combatants due to its light weight, and low manpower requirements. One gun mount is installed aboard USN frigates and larger USCG cutters. The MK 75 was provisionally approved for service use in September 1975.The 76-MM MK 75 Gun
BAE Systems (The former Naval Systems Division (NSD) of FMC Corporation) and General Electric Co. (Ordnance Systems Division) were licensed by the gun's designer, OTO Melara of La Spezia, Italy, and competed for the right to manufacture the MK 75 in the United States. In 1975, BAE systems won the competition. Since 1981, all MK 75 buys have been competed between BAE systems and OTO Melara. The U.S. Navy is no longer acquiring MK 75 guns but has logistics support contracts with BAE systems and OTO Melara.
The Mk 75 gun is a fully automated, remotely controlled gun mount that stows, aims, and fires 76-mm, 62-caliber ammunition. The system is currently aboard FFG-7 and PHM class ships along with the Mk 92 FCS. The design of the gun mount makes extensive use of lightweight corrosion-resistant alloys and modem engineering techniques. The result is a lightweight, compact, fast-firing, versatile weapon. It is primarily a defensive weapon used to destroy antiship cruise missiles. However, it can also be effectively used against surface and shore targets. The gun has a variable rate of fire of up to 80 rounds per minute with a range of up to 16,459 meters and a maximum altitude of 11,519 meters. The most notable innovation featured on this system is the automatic barrel cooling system. This allows sustained operation at high rates of fire without excessive barrel wear or the danger of a "cook off" if a misfire occurs.
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