30 mm caliber

File:30mmvs556nato.jpg

Size comparison between 30×170mm and 5.56x45mm NATO

The 30 mm caliber is a range of autocannon ammunition. It includes the NATO standardized Swiss 30×173mm (STANAG 4624), the Soviet 30×155mmB, 30×165mm and 30×210mmB, the Czechoslovak 30×210mm, the Yugoslav 30×192mm, the British 30×113mmB, and the French 30×150mmB and 30×170mm cartridges.

Usage

Ammunition in 30 mm 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. It is also a popular caliber for shipboard close-in weapons systems (CIWS), 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 chambered in 30 mm.

The U.S. military uses 30 mm weapons in their A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, AC-130 gunship (AC-130J Ghostrider variant), and AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. It was going to be used in the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, until the project was canceled. The United States Navy uses 30 mm weapons on the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and on Template:Sclass and Template:Sclasss as part of the surface warfare (SuW) package. In 2012, the Navy decided to replace the Mk 110 57 mm cannons on Template:Sclasss with the Mk 46 GWS (Gun Weapon System), a navalized mounting of the Mk44 Bushmaster chain gun. In 2022, the United States Coast Guard announced plans to install 30 mm Mk44 chain guns on newly-built Polar Security Cutters (PSCs), though existing cutters would retain their 25mm Mark 38 mounts.

Types of ammunition

30 mm calibre weapons are used in a variety of roles. As a result, ammunition in 30 mm comes in several varieties: armor-piercing (AP), high-explosive (HE), airburst, and target practice (TP) rounds. Both AP and HE cartridges commonly possess incendiary or tracer elements, which may be noted in its designation; API and HE-T are Armor-Piercing Incendiary and High-Explosive Tracer respectively.

Weapons

• Examples of 30 mm rounds and cannons
• Swiss 30×173mm
  Swiss 30×173mm
• Soviet 30×165mm
  Soviet 30×165mm
• The DU penetrator of a 30×173 mm round used in the GAU-8
  The DU penetrator of a 30×173 mm round used in the GAU-8
• French 30×150mmB
  French 30×150mmB
• 30×113mmB rounds being loaded into an AH-64D Apache Longbow
  30×113mmB rounds being loaded into an AH-64D Apache Longbow

Current weapons

Cartridge	Weapon	Country of origin	Designer	Type	Example platforms
30×29mmB	AGS-17		OKB-16	Automatic grenade launcher	BMD-3, BTR-90, BTR-D
	AGS-30		KBP Instrument Design Bureau	Automatic grenade launcher	BTR-T, GAZ-2975 Tigr, M2020 (tank)
30×113mmB	M230		Hughes	Chain gun	Boeing AH-64 Apache, JLTV MADIS, Oshkosh M-ATV, Stryker M-SHORAD
	ADEN		Royal Small Arms Factory	Revolver cannon	English Electric Lightning, Hawker Hunter, Saab Draken, SEPECAT Jaguar
	VENOM LR 30		AEI Systems	Revolver cannon	Midgard 300 RWS, electro optic systems (EOS) R400 ROWS (prototype)
	DEFA 550 series		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		GIAT	Chain gun	Eurocopter Tiger
	XM188		General Electric	Rotary cannon	Bell AH-1 Cobra (prototype)
30×150mmB	30 M 791		Nexter	Revolver cannon	Dassault Rafale
30×155mmB	NR-30		Nudelman-Rikhter	Short-recoil autocannon	MiG-19, MiG-21, Su-7, Su-17, J-7
30×165mm	GSh-30-1		Gryazev-Shipunov	Short-recoil autocannon	Sukhoi Su-27, Sukhoi Su-30, Sukhoi Su-35, Sukhoi Su-57, Mikoyan MiG-29
	GSh-30-2		Gryazev-Shipunov	Twin autocannon	Sukhoi Su-25, Mil Mi-24P
	GSh-6-30		Gryazev-Shipunov	Rotary cannon	MiG-27, Kortik CIWS
	AK-630		TsKIB SOO	Rotary cannon	A-213-Vympel-A CIWS
	2A42		KBP Instrument Design Bureau	Gas-operated autocannon	BMP-2, BMD-2, BMD-3, Kurganets-25, T-15 Armata, Mil Mi-28, Kamov Ka-50, BTR-90
	2A72		KBP Instrument Design Bureau	Long-recoil autocannon	BMP-3 (also in BRM-3K version), BMD-4, BTR-82A, Uran-9
	Template:Ill		KBP Instrument Design Bureau	Twin anti-aircraft gas-operated autocannon	2K22 Tunguska, Pantsir-S
	CRN 91		Ordnance Factory Medak	Light naval gun	Trinkat-class patrol vessel, Kumbhir-class landing ship, Car Nicobar-class fast attack craft
	Type 730/1130		713th Research Institute	Gatling gun	Type 052C destroyer, Type 001A aircraft carrier, LD-2000
30×170mm	HS.831A	Template:FR	Hispano-Suiza	Gas-unlocked delayed-blowback autocannon	AMX-30 DCA
	KCB		Oerlikon	Autocanon	Naval weapon systems: DS30B rapid fire cannon Destroyers Type 45 class Frigates: Template:Sclass Corvettes: Template:Sclass, Template:Sclass Patrol vessels: Template:Sclasss (Lithuania) Landing ship: Template:Sclasss Mine-countermeasure vessels: Template:Sclasss, Template:Sclasss, Template:Sclasss Support vessels: Template:Sclass, Template:Sclass Training ship: Template:Sclass
					Naval weapon systems: Template:Ill, a CIWS turret with 2×KCB. Destroyers ChungBuk class Frigates: Template:Sclass Corvettes: Template:Sclass (before replacement), Template:Sclass Patrol vessels: Template:Sclass (PKM 201 variant), CPIC-X (US Navy, coastal patrol and interdiction craft - experimental), Template:Sclass, Kilkuri class Fast missile craft: Template:Sclasss (known as Laskos class, with this additional weapon for the Greek Navy), Manta class (Ecuador, weapon received after modernisation), Paek Ku class Mine-countermeasure vessels: Template:Sclasss (Nigeria)
					Naval weapon systems: GCM-A Destroyers Type 82 class, Type 42 class Frigates: Template:Sclass Fast attack craft: Template:Sclass (before replacement), Template:Sclass, Damrong Rachanuphat class Patrol craft: Mamba class (Kenya, after modernisation)
		/ Template:Country data South Korea	SNT Dynamics (under licence)		K30 Biho SPAAG, K808 SPAAG
	HS.831L / KCB	/ Template:FR	Hispano-Suiza / Oerlikon		Falcon anti-aircraft system
	L21A1 RARDEN		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		Oerlikon	Revolver cannon	Saab 37 Viggen
	KCE		Rheinmetall Air Defence	Revolver cannon	Rheinmetall Sea Snake turret, Skyranger 30
	GAU-8 Avenger		General Electric	Gatling gun	Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, Signaal Goalkeeper CIWS
	Mk44 Bushmaster II		Alliant Techsystems	Chain gun	Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle, AS21 Redback, BAE ACV-30, Bionix II, Borsuk, Boxer Vilkas, CM-34, CV9030, Template:Ill, Template:Ill, Freccia EVO, Hunter AFV, KTO Rosomak, LAV III(Colombia), LAV-700, M1296 Stryker Dragoon, N-WAV 8×8 IFV, Pandur II 8×8 KBVP, Patria AMV - CRO 30L, Pindad Cobra, Piranha III (Belgium, Botswana, Ireland), Piranha V (Romania), Template:Ill, Sentinel II 6×6 and 8×8, VBTP-MR Guarani
					Naval weapon systems: DS30M Mark 2 Aircraft carrier: NAM Atlântico Amphibious transport docks: Angthong-class, Template:Sclass Destroyers Type 45 class, Template:Sclass Frigates: Template:Sclasss, Littoral combat ship, Maharaja Lela class, Template:Sclass, Type 23 class Corvettes: Template:Sclass (Argentina), Template:Sclass Offshore patrol vessels: Hateruma class, Template:Sclass, Mamuju class, Polar Security Cutter, River class (batch II) Patrol vessels: Bintang Laut class, Hateruma class, Template:Sclasss, Krabi class, Template:Sclasss, Leamsing class, Mamuju class, Pari class, Pulau Nipah class, Swiftships, Tanjung Datu class, Template:Sclass, T.994 class Fast-attack craft: Clurit class, Shaldag Mk.V class Mine-countermeasure vessels: Ladya class Support vessels: Template:Sclass Research vessels: Pollux class
					Lockheed AC-130J,
	Template:Ill		Rheinmetall	Automatic cannon	ASCOD, Boxer CRV, Boxer RadSPz (PuBo), Lynx KF41, Piranha III (Spanish Marines), SPz Puma, 30mm/82 Compact
	EMAK 30		Denel Land Systems	Linkless cam gun	Badger
	Maadi Griffin		Robert Stewart	Prototype anti-materiel rifle	Maadi Griffin
	30mm X-GUN		Leonardo	Automatic Cannon
	Wotan 30		Rheinmetall	Automatic cannon	Lynx KF41
	GTS-30/N		ZŤS – ŠPECIÁL	Gas-operated autocannon	BOV 8x8 Vydra
30×210mmB	NN-30		Tulamashzavod	Twin revolver cannon	AK-230 light naval gun/CIWS
30×210mm	vz.53/59	Template:Country data Czechoslovakia	Praga Hostivař	Twin anti-aircraft autocannon	M53/59 Praga
30×250mm caseless	RMK30		Mauser	Recoilless revolver cannon	Wiesel AWC (experimental), Eurocopter Tiger UH (experimental)

Historical weapons

Weapon	Country of origin	Designer	Cartridge	Type	Example platforms
MK 108	Template:Country data Nazi Germany	Rheinmetall-Borsig	30×90mmRB	Autocannon	Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6, Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-2, Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8/R2, Messerschmitt Me 262
Type 2	Template:Country data Japanese Empire	Dai-Nippon Weapons Co., Ltd.	30×92mmRB	Blowback autocannon	Mitsubishi J2M (prototype)
Ho-155	Template:Country data Japanese Empire	Nagoya Arsenal	30×114mm	Autocannon	Nakajima Ki-84-I Hei, Kawasaki Ki-102c Hei
Type 5	Template:Country data Japanese Empire	Nihon Tokushuko	30×122mm	Autocannon	Yokosuka P1Y, Kyushu J7W, Mitsubishi J2M (planned)
NR-30	Template:Country data Soviet Union	A.E. Nudelman and A.A. Rikhter	30×155mmB	Autocannon	MiG-19, MiG-21, Sukhoi Su-7, Sukhoi Su-17
MK 101	Template:Country data Nazi Germany	Rheinmetall-Borsig	30×184mmB	Autocannon	Henschel Hs 129, Heinkel He 177A-1/U2 (experimental)
MK 103	Template:Country data Nazi Germany	Rheinmetall-Borsig		Electrically primed autocannon	Focke-Wulf Fw 190, Flakpanzer IV Kugelblitz
MK 303	Template:Country data Nazi Germany	Krieghoff	30×210mm	Anti-aircraft autocannon	Type XXI submarine

See also

• 20 mm caliber
• 23 mm caliber
• 25 mm caliber
• 37 mm caliber
• 40 mm grenade
• Table of handgun and rifle cartridges

External links

• FAS: 30 mm Ammunition
• ATK Products: M230
• ATK Products: M230LF