Gp-9 Gun Pod specification questions.

[Manderallen]

Good Morning all.

I was wondering if anyone has detailed information on the Russian GP-9 gun pod. All information I have been able to dig up focuses solely on the GSH-23 cannon itself. It has been difficult to find detailed information on the whole pod. Specifically weight and drag effects on the carrier plane is my main interest.
Talking with an online friend this topic came up. The main question was how it would compare to the Phantoms Vulcan or MK4 pod.. Obviously smaller and lighter but how much so?
Thanks for any help.

Edit: additional information.

 

[Tony Williams]

I don't know about the GP-9 (my data uses different designations). What follows is taken from Flying Guns Vol. 3: the Modern Era:

Russia has developed by far the most interesting range of gunpods, as many of them permit the gun to be elevated and traversed in use. The best-known pod in which the guns stay conventionally fixed is the UPK-23-250, for one 23 mm GSh-23 and 250 rounds, which weighs 218 kg loaded. Pods with flexibly-mounted guns include the SPPU-22 which carries the same gun and slightly more ammunition (260 rounds) and permits adjustment in elevation only, from 0º to -30º, but weighs 320 kg loaded; the SPPU-6 for the GSh-6-23 rotary gun with 500 rounds, weighing 525 kg, which permits 0º to -45º elevation and plus or minus 45º of traverse; and the SPPU-687 (alternative designations found in some references are 9A-4071K or 9A-4273) pod for the 30 mm GSh-301 and 150 rounds, which weighs 480 kg loaded and permits 0º to –30º of elevation and plus or minus 15º of traverse.

The SPPU-22 and SPPU-6 have both been observed fitted to the Su-22 and MiG-23 (SPPU = Samolyatnaya Podvizhnaya Pushechnuaya Ustanovka or Aircraft Steerable Gun Pod). They are used in ground attack and the elevation is varied by computer according to a programme set by the pilot which requires the plane to fly at a certain height and speed to maintain accuracy. Once the gun is on target, the computer theoretically keeps it there as the plane flies straight and level. Even more remarkably, some of the pods can be fitted pointing backwards as well as forwards. It seems that these pods are used in flak suppression; some spray the ground positions on the in-run and the rear-facing ones spray them again as they are climbing away. The sideways-firing SPPU-6 is intended to be controlled by a second crew member, so is used with aircraft such as the two-seat Su-27IB.

Photo captions:

[UPK23] Russian UPK-23-250 pod with GSh-23 in a fixed mounting (Courtesy Russian Aviation Research Trust)

[UPKplane] Two UPK-23-250 pods under a Su-15TM, used for shooting down reconnaissance balloons (Courtesy Russian Aviation Research Trust)

[SPPU-22] Russian SPPU-22 pod with GSh-23 in a variable depression mounting, inboard of a rocket pod under the wing of a Su-25 (Courtesy Ken Duffey)

[SPPU30] The GSh-301 SPPU gunpod, permitting steering in depression and traverse (Courtesy Ken Duffey)

 

[Manderallen]

Thank you for your time to put this reply together. You did add to my available variants of pods that mounted the GSH-23.

The GP-9 pod only seems to be fitted to mid generation Mig-21s. This unique cannon pod is very limited from a ammo capacity perspective. That being said it would appear to be quite a bit lower in drag and weight that other cannon pods. I am still digging through my library trying to find weight specifications for this pod.

I currently have quite a few books that focus on the Fishbed. That being said most mentions of this cannon pod focus on the actual GSH-23's specifications. I will keep digging.