Gun laying is the process of aiming an artillery piece, such as a gun, howitzer or mortar on land, or at sea, against surface or air targets. It may be laying for direct fire, where the gun is aimed similarly to a rifle, or indirect fire, where firing data is calculated and applied to the sights. The term includes automated aiming using, for example, radar-derived target data and computer-controlled guns.
Gun laying means moving the axis of the bore of the barrel in two planes, horizontal and vertical. A gun is traversed — rotated in a horizontal plane — to align it with the target, and elevated — moved in the vertical plane — to range it to the target.
Read more about Gun Laying: Description, Anti-aircraft Gun Laying, Coast Artillery Gun Laying, Naval Gun Laying, Tank Gun Laying
Famous quotes containing the words gun and/or laying:
“As for fowling, during the last years that I carried a gun my excuse was that I was studying ornithology, and sought only new or rare birds. But I confess that I am now inclined to think that there is a finer way of studying ornithology than this. It requires so much closer attention to the habits of the birds, that, if for that reason only, I have been willing to omit the gun.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Geoff Carter: Got a match?
Bonnie Lee: Say, don’t you ever have any?
Geoff: No, don’t believe in laying in a supply of anything.
Bonnie: Matches, marbles, money, women.
Geoff: That’s right.
Bonnie: No looking ahead, no tomorrows, just today.
Geoff: That’s right.”
—Jules Furthman (1888–1960)