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:
“We got our new rifled muskets this morning. They are mostly old muskets, many of them used, altered from flint-lock to percussion ... but the power of the gun was fully as great as represented. The ball at one-fourth mile passed through the largest rails; at one-half mile almost the same.... I think it an excellent arm.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)
“Silence is the general consecration of the universe. Silence is the invisible laying on of the Divine Pontiff’s hands upon the world. Silence is at once the most harmless and the most awful thing in all nature. It speaks of the Reserved Forces of Fate. Silence is the only Voice of our God.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)