30 mm caliber
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2011) |
30 mm caliber is a specific size of autocannon ammunition. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30×113mmB, 30×173mm (STANAG 4624), and 35x228mm NATO rounds, Soviet 30×165mm, 30x210mmB, and 37×250mm, Yugoslav 30x192mm, and Czechoslovak 30x210mmCz rounds which are widely used around the world.
Usage[]
30 mm ammunition is typically not used against personnel, but rather as an anti-materiel or armor-piercing round. Rounds of this size can be effective against lightly armored vehicles as well as fortified bunkers. 30 mm is also a popular calibre for shipboard close-in weapons systems, such as the Russian AK-630 and Dutch Goalkeeper CIWS.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation use their 30 mm weapons in a variety of vehicles, including the Su-25 attack aircraft, Mi-24 helicopter, Mi-28 attack helicopter, Ka-50 attack helicopter, and the BMP-2, BMP-3, and BTR-90 infantry fighting vehicles. The most modern anti-aircraft gun systems in use by Russia are 30 mm. The U.S. military uses 30 mm weapons in their A-10 Thunderbolt II and AH-64 Apache helicopter. It was going to be used in the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle until the project was cancelled.
Types of 30 mm ammunition[]
30 mm ammunition generally comes in three varieties: armor-piercing (AP), high-explosive (HE), and target practice (TP) rounds. Both AP and HE cartridges commonly possess incendiary or tracer characteristics.
Examples of weapons using 30 mm ammunition[]
Historical weapons[]
Weapon | Country of origin | Designer | Cartridge | Type | Example platforms |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MK 108 | Nazi Germany | Rheinmetall-Borsig | 30×90RB | Machine cannon | Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6, Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R2, Messerschmitt Me 262 |
Type 2 | Japanese Empire | Dai-Nippon Weapons Co., Ltd. | 30×92mmRB | Blowback autocannon | Mitsubishi J2M (prototype) |
Ho-155 | Japanese Empire | Nagoya Arsenal | 30×114mm | Autocannon | Nakajima Ki-84-I Hei, Kawasaki Ki-102c Hei |
Type 5 | Japanese Empire | Nihon Tokushuko | 30×122mm | Autocannon | Yokosuka P1Y, Kyushu J7W, Mitsubishi J2M (planned) |
NR-30 | Soviet Union | A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Rikhter | 30×155mmB | Autocannon | MiG-19, MiG-21, Sukhoi Su-7, Sukhoi Su-17 |
MK 101 | Nazi Germany | Rheinmetall-Borsig | 30×184mmB | Machine cannon | Henschel Hs 129, Heinkel He 177A-1/U2 (experimental) |
MK 103 | Nazi Germany | Rheinmetall-Borsig | Electrically driven machine cannon | Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz | |
T250 | United States | Springfield Armory | 37×219mmSR | Anti-aircraft gatling gun | T249 Vigilante |
Current weapons[]
Cartridge | Weapon | Country of origin | Designer | Type | Example platforms |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
30×113mmB | M230 | United States | Hughes | Chain gun | Boeing AH-64 Apache, Oshkosh M-ATV |
ADEN | United Kingdom | Royal Small Arms Factory | Revolver cannon | English Electric Lightning, Hawker Hunter, Saab Draken, SEPECAT Jaguar | |
VENOM LR 30 | United Kingdom | AEI Systems | Revolver cannon | Midgard 300 RWS, electro optic systems (EOS) R400 ROWS (prototype) | |
DEFA 550 series | France | Direction des Études et Fabrications d'Armement | Revolver cannon | Dassault Mystere, Mirage series, Étendard series, SEPECAT Jaguar, Fiat G.91, AMX International AMX | |
30 M 781 | France | GIAT | Chain gun | Eurocopter Tiger | |
XM188 | United States | General Electric | Rotary cannon | Bell AH-1 Cobra (prototype) | |
30×150mmB | 30 M 791 | France | Nexter | Revolver cannon | Dassault Rafale |
30×165mm | GSh-30-1 | Soviet Union | Gryazev-Shipunov | Short-recoil autocannon | Sukhoi Su-27, Sukhoi Su-57, MiG-29 |
GSh-30-2 | Soviet Union | Gryazev-Shipunov | Twin autocannon | Sukhoi Su-25, Mil Mi-24P | |
GSh-6-30 | Soviet Union | Gryazev-Shipunov | Rotary cannon | MiG-27, Kortik CIWS | |
AK-630 | Soviet Union | TsKIB SOO | Rotary cannon | A-213-Vympel-A CIWS | |
2A42/2A72 | Soviet Union | KBP Instrument Design Bureau | Autocannon | BMP series, BMD series, BTR-80, Kurganets-25, T-15 Armata, Mil Mi-28, Kamov Ka-50 | |
Russia | KBP Instrument Design Bureau | Twin anti-aircraft autocannon | 2K22 Tunguska, Pantsir-S | ||
CRN 91 | India | Ordnance Factory Medak | Light naval gun | Trinkat-class patrol vessel, Kumbhir-class landing ship, Car Nicobar-class fast attack craft | |
Type 730/1130 | China | 713th Research Institute | Gatling gun | Type 052C destroyer, Type 001A aircraft carrier, LD-2000 | |
30×170mm | HS 831A | France | Hispano Suiza | recoil-operated | AMX-30 DCA |
HS 831L / KCB | France / Switzerland | Hispano Suiza / Oerlikon | recoil-operated | Falcon anti-aircraft system, DS30B rapid-fire ship-protection system | |
L21A1 RARDEN | United Kingdom | Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment/ Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield |
Long-recoil autocannon | FV721 Fox, FV107 Scimitar, FV510 Warrior | |
30×173mm (STANAG 4624) | KCA | Switzerland | Oerlikon | Revolver cannon | Saab 37 Viggen |
GAU-8 Avenger | United States | General Electric | Gatling gun | Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, Signaal Goalkeeper CIWS | |
Mk44 Bushmaster II | United States | Alliant Techsystems | Chain gun | KTO Rosomak, CV9030, M1296 Stryker Dragoon, Lockheed AC-130J, Hateruma-class patrol vessel | |
Mk30 | Germany | Rheinmetall | Automatic cannon | Boxer CRV, ASCOD, SPz Puma, 30 mm/82 Compact | |
EMAK 30 | South Africa | Denel Land Systems | Linkless cam gun | Badger | |
Maadi Griffin | United States | Robert Stewart | Prototype anti-materiel rifle | Maadi Griffin | |
Wotan 30 | Germany | Rheinmetall | Automatic cannon | Lynx | |
30×210mmB | NN-30 | Soviet Union | Tulamashzavod | Twin revolver cannon | AK-230 light naval gun/CIWS |
30×210mm | vz.53/59 | Czechoslovakia | Praga Hostivař | Twin anti-aircraft autocannon | M53/59 Praga |
30×250mm caseless | RMK30 | Germany | Mauser | Recoilless revolver cannon | Wiesel AWC (experimental), Eurocopter Tiger UH (experimental) |
35×228mm | 35/1000 | Switzerland | Oerlikon Contraves | Revolver gun | GDM-008 Millennium Gun CIWS, Oerlikon Skyshield/Skyranger |
35DPG | South Africa | Denel Land Systems | Dual-purpose gun (CIWS/anti-boat defense) | Valour-class frigate | |
Bushmaster III | United States | Alliant Techsystems | Automatic cannon | CV9035 | |
GDF-001 | Switzerland | Oerlikon Contraves | Anti-aircraft autocannon | Flakpanzer Gepard, Type 87 SPAAG, PZA Loara | |
Wotan 35 | Germany | Rheinmetall | Automatic cannon | Lynx |
See also[]
- 20 mm caliber
- 23 mm caliber
- 25×137mm
- 37 mm caliber
- 40 mm grenade
- List of cartridges (weaponry), pistol and rifle
References[]
External links[]
- Large-caliber cartridges