Gun laying
![US Army self-propelled howitzer direct fire.](/Images/godic/202501/16/any,_4th_Battalion,_42nd_Field_Artillery_Regiment,_1st_Armored_Brigade_Combat_Team,_4th_Infantry_Division,_fire_a_round_from_an_M109A6_Paladin_self-propelled_howitzer_during_130403-A-YY130-1442637.jpg")
![Manual traverse for an Eland armoured car. Gun elevation is controlled by the left traverse wheel, horizontal turret rotation by the right.](/Images/godic/202501/16/Noddyint62637.JPG")
![36-pounder long gun at the ready.](/Images/godic/202501/16/Antoine_Morel-Fatio_pl102637.jpg")
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Gun laying is the process of aiming an artillery piece, such as a gun, howitzer or mortar on land, or at sea, against surface or air targets. It may be laying for direct fire, where the gun is aimed similarly to a rifle, or indirect fire, where firing data is calculated and applied to the sights. The term includes automated aiming using, for example, radar-derived target data and computer-controlled guns.