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)
“Whenever any form of government shall become destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, & to institute new government, laying it’s foundation on such principles & organising it’s powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety & happiness.”
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)