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I've got some videotape (VHS) somewhere that I did while standing a few meters from one on USS Nimitz. The tape completely drops out during firing from the vibrations (not to mention that every organ you have is vibrating so much it's a bit difficult to breath). I'll take that experience to my grave. 
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From your link.  Damn, if that was taken where I think it was, I walked by those things everyday for 6 months back in 1980.  |
BDU-33 Info I have loaded a shit-ton of these things. While they do look like a mortar round, they are made to simulate the traj. of a MK-82. |
Outstanding! I'm jealous
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Those things are even smaller than 120's. I wonder how far out the radar can pick those up? |
Do they go boom? The ones in the vide go kaboom! 
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Agreed, it is a good concept. The execution leaves a little to be desired. Now the other part of this entire system (not the gun) is pretty good. |
Cool, by closed loop, are you saying it updates its aiming by tracking the rounds or just the position of the target? |
Both |
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When I was on the Saipan (LHA2), I remember talking to a navy guy who was working on the forward CWIS. He told me the radar and the computer tracked how much debris was still coming towards and at what speed and thats how it figured out how to stop shooting or to start again once they turned her on. May have been described in simple grunt terms 
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They have either an explosive charge, or a flare cartridge in them. Both boom quite adequately. |
Yes....it tracks the target postion and the outgoing rounds and relentlessly reduces the error in position to zero, As stated previously, it will track "significant debris" as well. I only worked on them in the Naval config. and it was most important to detonate the warhead. I've seen where the incoming airframe was chewed apart "long" before the warhead detonated. Since it was a "Close in" weapon system, it was important to make sure the warhead didn't carry into the ship. Hence the DU projectiles and high ROF. At one point we up gunned a testbed to the 30mm cannon but found that the 20mm was good to go. Bomber |