M46 Vulcan: Difference between revisions

|manufacturer=[[Misriah Armory]]<ref name="H4VG"/>

|width={{Convert|39.4|in|cm}}<ref name="H4VG"/>

|height={{Convert|76.7|in|cm}}<ref name="H4VG"/>

|ammotype=12.7×99mm M255 HVE rounds<ref name="H4VG"/>

The '''M46 Light Anti-Aircraft Gun''', nicknamed the "'''Vulcan'''",<ref name="H4VG"/><ref>''Halo 4'' Warthog infobox ([[:File:Halo4 warthog.jpg|file link]])</ref> is a [[UNSC]] vehicle-mounted rotary machine gun. The successor to the [[M41 Vulcan]], the M46 is used as the primary armament on the [[M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle]] before the introduction of the [[M343A2 chaingun]].<ref name="H5G">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''</ref>

The M46 LAAG maintains most of the M41 LAAG profile; it is a triple-barreled, electric-powered, linkless, belt-fed weapon. Two major improvements over the M41 are the replacement of the cooling system and a larger gas chamber.<ref name="O+A">[http://halo.xbox.com/halo4#!an-epic-universe/ordnance-armor/cbbca9b3-5108-41aa-aa21-9b523de68266 ''Halo 4 Official Site'': ORDNANCE + ARMOR]</ref> Most M46 LAAGs are belt-fed like their M41 counterparts, but the weapon is also compatible with a drum magazine.<ref name="HW2"/>

The M46 had entered service by February, [[2531]], and several units were carried aboard the {{UNSCShip|Spirit of Fire}} when it [[Battle of the Etran Harborage|went missing]] in that year.<ref name="HW2">''[[Halo Wars 2]]''</ref> The weapon would continue to be used sporadically throughout the [[Human-Covenant War]] alongside the M41 LAAG. It would make several appearances in [[2552]], when [[M12B Warthog]]s assigned to the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} would employ them.<ref>''[[Halo: Fireteam Raven]]'', campaign level ''[[Rubble]]''</ref> They would again be used in the [[Battle for Earth]]<ref>''Halo 2: Anniversary'', campaign level, ''[[Outskirts]]''</ref> and [[Battle of Installation 05]] in October of 2552,<ref>''Halo 2: Anniversary'', campaign level ''[[Delta Halo]]''</ref> before gradually beginning to supersede the original M41 design. By [[2557]], the M46 appeared to be the standard armament of the M12B Warthog chassis in its [[M12 Chaingun Warthog|chaingun]] configuration where it served in the [[Battle of Requiem]] and later [[Requiem Campaign]],<ref>''[[Halo 4]]''</ref> but by [[2558]] had begun to be replaced with the M343A2.<ref name="H5G"/>

By [[2559]], Warthogs employed on [[Installation 00]] by the [[Ark Security Detachment]] and ''Spirit of Fire'' continued to use the M46 chaingun.<ref name="HW2"/>