Deployment
The DEFA 550 series was the standard cannon armament of all gun-armed French fighters from 1954 until the advent of the Dassault Rafale in the 1980s. A pair of these weapons, with 125–135 rounds per gun, is standard fit on the Dassault MD 450 Ouragan, Dassault Mystere, Mirage III/V, Dassault Étendard and Dassault Super Étendard, Sud Aviation Vautour, Mirage F1, French SEPECAT Jaguars, and the Mirage 2000 series. It was also used on the Israeli A-4E/F/H/N Skyhawk, IAI Nesher, IAI Kfir, and IAI Lavi, the Italian Aeritalia G91Y and Aermacchi MB-326K, the Indonesian A-4, and the South African Atlas Cheetah and Impala Mk.II. Various gun pod installations are available from CASA, Dassault Aviation, and Matra.
The DEFA 550 is very similar to the British ADEN cannon, and can use the same ammunition.
The DEFA 550 series has now given way to the GIAT 30 series used on the Rafale, although it is likely to remain in widespread use for many years to come.
Read more about this topic: DEFA Cannon