30 mm caliber

The 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.

30×173mm rounds
30 mm rounds

Usage
The depleted uranium penetrator of a 30×173mm round used in the GAU-8

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. 30mm 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 training rounds. Armor-piercing and high-explosive cartridges usually also possess incendiary characteristics.

Examples of weapons using 30 mm ammunition
30×113mm rounds being loaded into an AH-64D Apache Longbow
Soviet 30×165 mm.
Size comparison between 30x170mm RARDEN AFV round and 5.56x45mm NATO

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

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
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  Russia Gryazev-Shipunov Short recoil autocannon Sukhoi Su-27, Sukhoi Su-57, MiG-29
GSh-30-2  Russia Gryazev-Shipunov Twin autocannon Sukhoi Su-25, Mil Mi-24P
GSh-6-30  Russia Gryazev-Shipunov Rotary cannon MiG-27, Kortik CIWS
AK-630  Russia TsKIB SOO Rotary cannon A-213-Vympel-A CIWS
2A42/2A72  Russia KBP Instrument Design Bureau Autocannon BMP series, BMD series, BTR-80, Kurganets-25, T-15 Armata, Mil Mi-28, Kamov Ka-50
2A38  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
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
Type 730/1130  China 713th Research Institute Gatling gun Type 052C destroyer,
Type 001A aircraft carrier, LD-2000
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  Russia Tulamashzavod Twin revolver cannon AK-230 light naval gun/CIWS
30×210mmCz 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
37×219mmSR T250  United States Springfield Armory Anti-aircraft gatling gun T249 Vigilante
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See also

References
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