Mark 34 Gun Weapon System

The Mark 34 Gun Weapon System (GWS) is a component of the Aegis Combat System that is responsible for controlling and providing fire control to the 127 mm 5" Mark 45 gun. It is used on the U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and several later Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The Mk 34 GWS receives target data from the ship's sensors and off-ship sources, performs ballistic calculations, and produces gun control orders. The system is made up of the gun mount itself, the fire-control computer, and an optical sight.

The Mk 34 GWS was developed to improve the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer's ability to use the Mk 45 gun against a variety of threats. It is different from previous gun fire-control systems in that it was developed under a one-system concept and is a fully integrated subsystem of Aegis. The Aegis Command and Decision (C&D) system issues target engagement orders to the Mk 34 GWS.