Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:58:53-2:59:40

Where the 20 mm Oerlikon fitted beneath 40 mm guns

The Oerlikon was the emergency inner layer, opening fire after an aircraft had penetrated the zones covered by fighters, heavy AA, and 40 mm guns.

Air Defence DoctrineClose-In Weapon SystemsNaval Anti Aircraft WeaponsOerlikon 20 mm
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Question

How did operating Pom-Poms and Bofors affect the role of the 20 mm Oerlikon?

Short answer

The Oerlikon remained the final close-range kill layer, firing when an attacker had already penetrated the longer-ranged defenses.

Notes

The Oerlikon's task was to put the greatest possible volume of fire into an aircraft already close enough to release weapons. The aircraft had to be destroyed before it dropped its bombs. The modern analogy is a close-in weapon system opening fire after a threat has reached a ship's final defensive layer.