Machine guns on aircraft are like pistols to an infantryman. They're an emergency backup if you've used up your primary ammo or someone jumps you at close range

Machine guns on aircraft are like pistols to an infantryman. They're an emergency backup if you've used up your primary ammo or someone jumps you at close range. Modern aircraft cannons have an effective range of less than a mile; the Sidewinder, our standard short-range air-to-air missile, can hit at 22 miles.