Israel’s security establishment has decided to return the decades-old M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon system to active duty. Originally developed for use against aircraft, the Vulcan has not been operational in the Israel Defense Forces for 20 years. 

Now, it’s making a comeback as part of efforts to counter the growing threat posed by drones, particularly along the Lebanese border. 

The Makor Rishon newspaper has learned that three systems have already become operational, and five more are expected to be deployed.

he Vulcan is a six-barreled, air-cooled 20-millimeter Gatling-style rotary cannon. It can fire up to 6,000 rounds per minute. Developed in the United States, the weapon entered service in the Israel Defense Forces in 1975, following lessons from the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Over the years, it was integrated into an air defense system dubbed “Makhbat” (Hebrew for “bat” or “racket”), which included Stinger missiles and advanced surveillance systems. The Vulcan was retired in 2006 after the Second Lebanon War, as more advanced systems like the Iron Dome took precedence.

However, since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, which has involved extensive drone and UAV threats across nearly all fronts, the IDF has encountered a challenge that has become common globally: the difficulty of intercepting small, sophisticated drones. In Israel’s case, especially those launched by Hezbollah terrorists from Lebanon. 

These drones fly at low altitudes, making them hard for air defense systems to detect and intercept. The Iron Dome, for example, is designed primarily for rockets and missiles and is less effective against such targets.