The MK 38 machine gun system (MGS) was employed aboard various combatant and auxiliary ships in the Mid-East Force escort operations and during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The MK-38 is a 25-mm (one inch diameter) heavy machine gun, effective to 2,700 yards (2,457 meters).The weapons are maintained in a rotatable pool, available for temporary installation on various deploying ships and permanent installation on certain amphibious and auxiliary ships, patrol craft and Coast Guard cutters.
