Do they still use flaks?

Question

Do they still use flaks?

Answer 1

The word "flak" is always singular; there is no such thing as "flaks."

"Flak" is a slang expression for altitude activated anti-aircraft explosive shells.  Anti-aircraft artillery used these to force bombers to fly high and so make bombing less accurate.

Anti-aircraft artillery is still in use, but surface-to-air missiles are more common now, as they are more accurate and more efficient in the use of war materials.

Answer 2

Yes they do and the weapon size varies greatly. they don't make the large Flak guns of WW2 any more. The biggest modern guns are 5" guns on warships. The largest land based guns I think are in the 57mm range. Missile systems like the patriot system do the work old flak guns used to do.  

Answer 3

2m6 (?) tunguska

ZSU 23-4 Shilka

ZSU 57

ZPU various platforms

the Vulcan mount on the M-113 /withdrawn from AA duties now

various ship born systems

Gepard

Yes the anti aircraft artillery is still around in most battlefields. it is usually dual used as infantry support weapon.

he towed systems are no longer extensively used. they happend to be obsolete once the battlefield went mobile - the artillery pieces needed to follow the supported arms

Answer 4

In short yes, though the term "flak" is now anachronistic "Anti-Aircraft Artillery" = "AAA" is the preferred term:

20mm, 23mm, 30mm, 35mm, 40mm and 57mm AAA is still prevalent.  Not to mention  small arms in the 7.62-14.5mm range.  The majority of downed aircraft in the Vietnam and '67 wars were shot down not by SAMS or in air/air but by AAA.  

It's cheap, easy to use and reasonably effective against lowflyers: Helos, UAVs, cruise missiles and fast movers in a low altitude delivery.  Something common to all ground based air defenses is that forcing the attacker to jettison stores to maneuver, etc are "mission kills" and are almost as good as a direct hit.

Answer 5

Actually, "flak" is not slang. It is a German acronym from World War 2. "Flak" stands for "FLiegerAbwehrKanone", or literally, "aircraft defense gun".

Probably the most impressive example for modern day flak is the automatic, radar controlled Phalanx system used on US aircraft carriers against missiles rather than aircraft.  

Answer 6

YES. Flak is still around.

Answer 7

If you mean anti-aircraft guns, yes. But only the lighter ones for low level point defence. For mid to high altitude the large guns have all been replaced by missiles.