Fantom 21-08-2014 13:28
First came the author. 30mm gun. 2A42, The gun's automation is based on the use of the energy of powder gases discharged through a side hole in the barrel, the mass of the gun is 115 kg. Rate of fire, rounds/min: large, at least 550; small, 200-300. Installed on BMP 2, BMD 2, helicopters. The gun has proven itself exclusively with positive side. Then the BMP-3 appeared, and an auto was installed on it. 2A72 cannon The automatic operation of the cannon is based on the use of the recoil energy of the barrel during its long stroke, which sharply reduces gas contamination in the combat compartment of the carrier on which the cannon is installed, and significantly reduces the impact of powder gases on the crew. Gun weight 84 kg. Rate of fire, rds/min:
not less than 330. At the same time, because on the BMP-3 the gun was paired and fixed with 100mm. She had no problems with accuracy with the gun, although her rate of fire was “cut down.” BUT when they started trying to stuff it into the BTR-80, 82, its problems began to appear, namely low shooting accuracy, due to the fact that the barrel dangled like shit in an ice hole. At the same time, because It is installed in a non-residential module, and its important advantage is the gas pollution of the fighting compartment. The designers figured out this feature and began to make a casing around the gun so that it would dangle less when firing. Wouldn't it be more logical to install the old, proven 2A42 instead of all this? Although there are experimental developments with 2A42. Let's discuss this?!
Fantom 21-08-2014 13:29
Fantom 21-08-2014 13:30
The last photo shows 2A42
abc55 21-08-2014 17:42
2a42 has a high rate of fire - 3 rates of fire
device like a Kalash
weight 115
seems smaller
This gun can be used to shoot at air targets
at a low rate of fire 2a72 is no longer the same
roll a heavy barrel back and forth quickly...
abc55 21-08-2014 17:46
2a42 I was always bothered by the fact that the barrel seems thin
everyone who is not too lazy sits on it
I'd like to see how the barrel behaves in slow motion
how it sways
there is a desire to make the barrel heavier and equip it with cooling fins
Well, of course, increase the kit from 500 (for BMP2) to 1000)))
and it is imperative that the optics rise along with the gun to all degrees
Fantom 22-08-2014 10:33
All the data I provided, including weight, was taken from the manufacturer’s website http://www.tulamash.ru/
abc55 23-08-2014 23:43
abc55 08-11-2014 02:57
quote: Apparently the company commander also couldn’t find a description of the fuse
I wonder if they study shells in schools?
maybe he graduated from school when there was no bmp2
in the regiment we had a major on technical safety who gave lectures
Of course I didn't go into detail
He said what you can touch and what you can’t (unexploded 125mm land mines in the field)
sappers then blew them up
the explosions were at a distance of 700 meters
but I was hiding behind a pine tree
What if a fragment the size of a fist flies in?
at the end of the day it crashes by accident
when our glorious soldiers dropped 30mm OFS, after the company commander’s hysteria I hid behind the infantry fighting vehicles
I’m sitting here turning on the meat grinder, picking out the cartridges from the belt)))
still scary)))
and it’s also scary to watch 125mm landmines explode in the air after a ricochet
an orange flash and black smoke blows across the sky
you can hear them rustling and bursting loudly
you stand alone in the field, you think
now a shrapnel will fly into your forehead, and then no one will find you
the field is large, no one knows that you are an inquisitive idiot who went to look at the tanks
Lantsepok 08-11-2014 08:25
quote: Originally posted by abc55:On B19, it seems, yes. You just have to hit it very hard, comparable to the kick that powder gases give to a projectile.
according to this scheme it turns out,
if you hit the cartridge hard with the bottom of the case on concrete
the self-liquidator will work
and after a few seconds kaaaaak..
But on the A670 diagram, I still see something between the detonator 43 and the liquidator sleeve 42, not marked with numbers, but very similar to the locking mechanism, drawn in detail on the AG-30 fuse diagram:
If the A670 has the same one, then simply hitting the projectile hard with the bottom of the cartridge case on the floor will not be enough for a “bang”; you still need to rotate it very quickly around the longitudinal axis, otherwise the force of the flame from the self-destructor will not reach the detonator.
Kurilichev 15-11-2014 21:02
Yes, indeed, I think the fuse is more expensive than the rest of the cartridge. And what is not provided there, with such a small size and power, but in 125mm landmines they could not provide for a self-liquidator, or any other gadgets that would protect the supply. I think we can come up with something for those who don’t spin.
Yes, and I see the range of shells and fuses there is much larger, there are two armor-piercing ones - a blank with a tracer and a chamber one, with a bottom fuse. There are two instant-action fragmentation fragments, with and without a tracer, and there is no self-liquidator provided for them, apparently due to the double-action fuse, either the ball will push the sting, or the sleeve with the primer will be placed on the sting, which is more reliable than just balls, which, if hit directly, a solid barrier and will not work, which is why, apparently, a self-liquidator in the third type of fuse was introduced for the fragmentation-incendiary-tracer, with a large tracer and a small charge, and with a moderator in the fuse. There are already 3 fuses, as I understand it, a sliding plate at the bottom, like in the others, in the middle of the channel there is another valve, and some other membrane there. It's strange that one is missing. I just didn’t understand why one type of head fuse design couldn’t be used, only with or without a deceleration, judging by the description, that test with the tunnel, due to a misunderstanding, was carried out with incendiaries with a deceleration (maybe they just didn’t supply it to others, like there’s no point in shooting at infantry from a cannon, it is only for equipment, bunkers and other protected firing points). Or am I mistaken, if the shells for aircraft guns are not interchangeable, although the self-destructor is precisely what is needed on aircraft shells.
Vit_D 29-11-2014 13:16
New BPS and OBPS. Taken from "courage".
The BPS is not new, it was cut down for the OAU back in the early 90s, but now it seems to have just entered the army. The designers say that it easily sews 50 mm per kilometer, maybe more. There is no data on OBPS.
Regarding the dangling barrel of the 2A72 - now in the BTR82 turret it is mounted on three supports (?) and the shooting accuracy has increased. Its disadvantage is that it cannot eat OBPS - the recoil impulse is not enough for the automation to work. BPS eats.
Armament of combat vehicles.
3.1. 30 mm automatic cannon 2A-42.
Purpose, combat capabilities, general structure and operating principle of the 2A-42 gun.
The 30-mm automatic cannon 2A-42 is designed to destroy ground (lightly armored vehicles, enemy manpower, etc.) and air targets.
The gun's power supply is two-belt.
The gun consists of the following main parts: receiver, barrel assembly, bolt carrier, recoil spring, butt plate, electric trigger, contactor and buttplate axis.
PICTURE
Receiver is designed to direct the movement of the bolt frame and barrel assembly, supply two cartridge belts (one belt with BT cartridges, the other with OFZ and OT cartridges), as well as for placing and connecting gun components and parts.
The receiver cassette is designed to accommodate the squibs of the reloading mechanism. A contactor is used to lock the cartridge chambers and supply current to the electric capsule bushings of the squibs.
Barrel assembly designed to fire a shot and ensure the operation of the gun's automation.
Bolt carrier designed to activate the gun mechanisms and fire a shot.
Return spring designed to return the bolt frame to the forward position, imparting to the bolt frame the energy necessary to lock the barrel and break the igniter primer.
Butt pad is the rear wall of the receiver and is designed to accommodate the feed mechanism, electric trigger, trigger mechanism parts, manual reloading mechanism and fuse.
Switching the feed (selecting the type of cartridge strips) is carried out by a switch.
Trigger The gun allows for single and automatic firing at high and low rates.
The electric trigger is designed for remote control of the trigger mechanism.
In addition to the electric trigger, the design of the gun provides for a manual trigger, which allows firing at a high rate in the absence of voltage in the vehicle's on-board network.
The manual reloading mechanism is designed to place the moving parts of the gun on the sear by pumping the handle.
TTX gun 2A-42
| Brand | 2A42 |
| Caliber, mm | 30 |
| Rate of fire, rounds/min: Big | |
| Cannon power | Double tape, separate |
| Estimated height of the firing line, mm | 1914 |
| Reloading the gun | Manual, pyrotechnic |
| Sighting range for ground targets, m: BT shells OFZ and OT shells | |
| Firing at air targets flying at subsonic speeds at altitudes (ranges), m | from 2000 (to 2500) |
| Direct shot range, m | 1000 |
| Ammunition | 500 rounds of which 160 are armor-piercing and 340 fragmentation |
| Firing angles: along the horizon vertically | from 5 to 75 |
Incomplete disassembly and reassembly after incomplete disassembly. purpose and design of gun parts and mechanisms.
Incomplete disassembly of the product.
Partial disassembly is carried out during maintenance for inspection, cleaning and lubrication of automation parts, as well as in other cases when access to the receiver is necessary.
Initial position of the product before disassembly:
The bolt carrier is in the forward position;
The manual reloading handle is fixed in the forward position.
ATTENTION! Before disassembling, make sure that the plug connectors are disconnected from the product.
Disassembly order.
Press the contactor latch and slide the contactor back, if necessary using the contactor removal tool provided in the single spare parts kit, and separate the contactor.
Turn the electric trigger lock lever 90 degrees and remove the electric trigger from the butt plate, while holding the feed switch flag in the middle position.
ATTENTION! It is prohibited to subject the electric trigger to mechanical influences (impacts, falls, etc.)
- Separate the butt plate, for which:
Knock out the axis of the butt plate using a drift 7 and a hammer;
Slide the butt plate back (to facilitate separation, you can use a screwdriver by inserting it between the puller on the right (left) side and the butt plate);
Separate the butt plate from the product.
- Separate the return spring from the product.
- Separate the bolt frame, for which:
Remove the bolt carrier from the box back.
Separate the barrel assembly by pulling the barrel.
- Disassemble the barrel assembly, for which:
Separate the plate by inserting a screwdriver between the holder and the bent part of the plate;
Separate the clip, along with the gas cylinder and plate, from the barrel by striking the clip lightly with a soft hammer.
ATTENTION! It is prohibited to strike the guide clips;
Separate the latch and barrel spring;
Separate the cage from the gas cylinder.
Separate the cassette from the receiver, for which:
Remove the cassette from the box by pushing it from below.
If the product was recharged by pyro-recharging, then disassemble the cassette, for which:
Use a punch 5 to knock out the cassette plug through the hole in the gas pipeline;
Knock the valves and gas pipeline out of the cassette using a soft rod from the plug side.
Reassembly after partial disassembly.
Assemble the cassette, why:
Insert two valves into the cassette;
Press the plug into the cassette using a hammer.
Insert the cassette into the receiver, for which:
Place the cassette in the box so that the gas pipeline fits into the recess of the bracket, and the cassette fits into the window of the box;
Secure the cassette with the insert, pushing it along the gas pipeline towards the cassette until it stops using a punch 5 or a hook.
Assemble the barrel assembly, for which:
Insert the gas cylinder into the latch;
Insert the barrel spring assembly with the gas cylinder, and the plate, which should be facing the notch towards the barrel, and the latch into the breech hole, while the gas cylinder plate should rest against the protrusion on the barrel;
Place the clip on the barrel and, aligning the hole in the clip with the seat of the gas cylinder, hammer it onto the seat of the barrel and gas cylinder, hitting it with the soft head of a hammer;
Fix the clip with a plate by inserting it into the groove on the barrel using a hammer so that the clamp covers the clip;
Place the muzzle brake on the barrel and turn it 45 so
so that the planes of the brake are parallel to the planes of the breech, align the hole in the muzzle brake with the hole on the barrel;
Secure the brake with a stopper.
Attach the barrel assembly to the receiver for what:
Align the breech guide grooves and clips with the receiver guides and slide the barrel assembly into the receiver until it stops.
Attach the bolt frame to the product, directing the bolt frame piston into the breech hole, and the guide grooves of the slide along the box guides, and move it to the extreme forward position, after making sure that the anti-rebound rod is in the rearmost position, and the manual reloading mechanism rod is in the extreme forward position position
Move the anti-rebound rod to its extreme forward position until the hole for the butt plate axle is clear.
Attach an electric trigger to the butt plate, for which:
Lock the electric shutter by turning the lever and check that the electric shutter is securely fixed by pulling it up.
Insert the return spring into the bolt frame.
Attach the butt plate to the product, for which:
Slide the buttplate onto the box until the holes for the buttplate axis align;
Insert the buttplate axle on the left side, pressing the buttplate, and lock it by turning the lever 90.
Connect the contactor, for which:
Slide the contactor onto the guide grooves of the cassette until the latch fits into the notch on the cassette.
Check that the barrel is secured to the receiver; the barrel should not move due to manual effort.
To check the correct assembly of the product, cock the manual reloading bolt frame and make a test release.
Typical faults and delays
arising during operation, causes and methods of elimination.
Possible gun malfunctions.
| Malfunction | Cause of malfunction | Troubleshooting method |
| Misfire: the moving parts are in the extreme forward position, the shot did not fire | Igniter primer malfunction | Reload |
| Striker failure | Unload the gun, disassemble the bolt and replace the firing pin |
|
| Missing feed: moving parts are in the forward position, the chamber is empty | Tape jammed in the power path | Check for any protruding parts or foreign objects in the power paths. Fold in the protruding parts. Remove foreign objects |
| Link jamming in link bend | Inspect the branch link, remove foreign objects and defective links |
|
| Broken or sprained link | Inspect the cartridge strip and remove defective links |
|
| Parts cannot be removed from the sear | Large gun contamination | Clean the gun |
| Low voltage supplied to the electric trigger | Continue shooting using the manual release lever |
|
| Lack of movement of moving parts to the forward position. The cartridge has not been chambered | Foreign objects entering the chamber or using cartridges with deformed cases or projectiles | Unload the gun and remove the cartridge, clean the chamber |
When troubleshooting : It is prohibited to disassemble the gun to remove a cartridge from the gun, and moving parts must be held in place by a manual reloading mechanism or a device for holding moving parts.
In case of delays:
Remove the manual reloading handle from engagement with the butt plate by first pressing to the left;
While pumping the reloading handle, bring the slider to the bolt frame and move the moving parts back until it stops;
Holding the moving parts with the manual reloading handle, turn on the sear, to do this, put the safety knob in the Right position;
Release the manual reload handle and make sure that the moving parts “sit” on the sear;
Remove the cartridge from the dispensing line;
Place the manual reload handle in its original position.
If, when the moving parts hang at a distance of less than half the stroke and are retracted back behind the sear, the latter does not fall behind the bolt frame, forced activation of the sear is required by moving the safety knob to the Pr position.
In cases where the moving parts cannot be moved behind the sear, it is necessary to find out the cause of the delay and eliminate it. In this case, using manual reloading, use a device to hold moving parts, for which:
Leave the manual reload handle in the folded position;
Take devices for holding moving parts from the individual spare parts kit;
Screw the screw of the device into the threaded hole of the bolt frame until the device stops against the butt plate.
After eliminating the delay, use the manual reloading handle to move the moving parts back until they stop;
Holding the moving parts with the manual reloading handle, turn on the sear, to do this put the safety knob in the Pr position;
Release the manual reload handle and make sure that the moving parts “sit” on the sear;
By rotating the screw of the device counterclockwise, separate the device from the bolt frame;
Remove the cartridge from the dispensing line;
Place the manual reload handle in its original position. It must be remembered that the screw of the device holds the moving parts only up to half the forward stroke of the bolt frame.
The procedure for dismantling (removing) and mounting (installing) the gun. pyroloading mechanism, preparing it for operation and using it during shooting.
Dismantling the gun.
Tools and accessories for dismantling and installation: knockouts 5 and 7, hammer, screwdriver (in the spare parts for the 2A42 gun), wrench 14x17, cotter pin puller, pliers (in the driver's box), crowbar (installed on the engine bulkhead stand behind the paratrooper's seat), socket wrenches 10x12, 10x14, wire KO-1 (in the box for spare parts and tools).
If there is an ATGM in the fighting compartment, remove it from its stowage.
Unload the gun. If it was charged.
Open the cover, remove the bolt.
Give the gun an angle of 35-50.
Open the cargo cover.
Unlock and disconnect the connectors from the contactor and electric trigger.
Remove the switch by using a drift inserted into the hole in the switch axis, press the latch and pull the switch along the axis.
Perform partial disassembly of the gun according to operating instructions 2A42 (without disassembling the unit, barrel and cassette) and move the anti-rebound.
Unscrew the bolts and remove the cover.
Unscrew the nuts securing the upper link of the bend and remove it.
Pull out the stopper and remove the sleeve.
Loosen the clamp and disconnect the corrugated fan hose.
Unlock and unscrew the bolts and remove the lower link.
Undo the nuts.
Unscrew the nut and remove the bolt.
Move the stop by approximately 5 mm using a drift by striking it with a hammer, from the inside of the receiver until the stop comes out of the box.
Unscrew the nuts, remove the screws and remove the receiver inside the machine.
Partial and complete disassembly, cleaning and lubrication, as well as assembly of the gun should be carried out in accordance with operating instructions 2A42.
The great interest caused by the announcement of the development by the design bureau of Uralvagonzavod (Nizhny Tagil) of a combat vehicle supporting BMPT tanks on a tank base is understandable: this vehicle has long been talked about and debated. Therefore, the question posed in the title of S. Suvorov’s article “Does Russia need fighting machine tank support? (approx. "Courage" : see article –) should be considered rather rhetorical: it is clear that it is needed. Another question: is such a BMPT necessary?
The transition to a tank base and a sharp increase in weight (47 tons, heavier than a tank) led to the loss of two important properties compared to infantry fighting vehicles - waterfloatability and air transportability. These losses had to be compensated by an increase in security and firepower. Unfortunately, we must immediately admit that the second position remained unrealized. Weapon complexBMPT (two 30 mm automatic guns 2A42, two 30-mm automatic grenade launchers AG-17D, machine gun PKTM, four launchers ATGM "Ataka-T") seems to be quite heterogeneous and ineffective for solving the main problemBMPT – suppression of tank-dangerous targets. The most important thing is unclear: what type of weapon will mainly perform this task. Apparently, the main hopes are placed on two 30-mm guns 2A42. We must say straight away and bluntly that these hopes are groundless.
In our publications in TiV and other publications, we have repeatedly touched upon the issue of the low effectiveness of 30-mm guns in the fight against tank-dangerous targets (see also: ). In relation to gunsBMPT the main and decisive factor in such an assessment of the 30 mm caliber is its low armor-piercing effect. The armor thickness penetrated by a 30-mm armor-piercing projectile with a sub-caliber core at an angle of 60° from the normal at a distance of 1500 m is 25 mm, which is not enough to defeat the frontal armor of foreign infantry fighting vehicles, for example "Marder", and even more so the newly developed infantry fighting vehicles and armored self-propelled anti-tank systems. Armor-piercing finned sabot shells with a detachable tray have never been adopted. Many years of development of 30-mm cumulative projectiles have not led to success, although such ammunition is mass-produced abroad (for example, the 30-mm cumulative projectile M789 PRIMEX, USA). Therefore, the 30 mm gunBMPT It turns out to be a weak weapon, unable to fully perform the function of protecting a tank.
The capabilities of 30-mm high-explosive fragmentation shells in the fight against openly positioned tank-dangerous manpower, such as RPG and ATGM crews, turn out to be very weak. Here we radically disagree in our assessments with S. Suvorov. He, in particular, writes: “The accuracy of fire when firing from one cannon is such that the dispersion does not exceed one thousandth of the range: when firing fragmentation shells at the maximum range (4000 m), they will fall from each other no more than four meters. If we take into account that the radius of the zone of continuous fragmentation damage from one shell is at least 7 m, then we can say with confidence that from one short burst of five shells (and from two barrels this will be 10 shells) within a radius of 10 m from the aiming point there will be no survivors. The effect is approximately the same as the explosion of a 122-mm high-explosive fragmentation projectile.”
Unfortunately, not a single number here is correct. The dispersion characteristic, which is usually taken to be the circular probable deviation (CPD) for small-caliber automatic guns, is not 0.001, but 0.003 range (see, for example, A.G. Shipunov et al. “Efficiency and reliability of small arms and cannon weapons”, TSU, Tula, 2003, p. 86 ), and this deviation takes place in the vertical picture plane normal to the flat trajectory. We obtain the error in the range of points where projectiles fall on the surface of the earth by dividing this value by the sine of the angle of approach of the projectile to the ground. At ranges up to 2000 m, the sine value can be taken on average to be 0.2, which will give the standard deviation equal to 0.015 of the range (at a distance of 2000 m this will be 30 m). Let us recall that for a 125-mm tank gun the maximum deviation in the range of the aiming point at a distance of 2000 m is ±165 m.
The radius of the continuous damage zone, 7 m, belongs to the realm of pure fantasy. The affected area would be 154 sq.m, whereas in reality it is 40 sq.m for a “standing” target and only 10 sq.m for a “lying” target (B.I. Noskov “Small-caliber rounds for automatic guns”, State Research and Production Enterprise, 1998 ). In this case, it is necessary to take into account the extremely unfavorable relative position of the dispersion ellipse, elongated along the trajectory, and the direction of scattering of the bulk of the fragments perpendicular to the trajectory. At a small angle of approach of the projectile to the ground, half of the fragments go into the sky, the other half into the ground, and only a small part, spreading along the surface of the earth, works to kill. Besides this main negative factor the weak effect of the OFS is also explained by the small mass of the A-IX-2 explosive charge (48.5 g), as a consequence, a small number of lethal fragments (about 300) and the specific design of the impact fuse, which does not ensure instantaneous explosion of the projectile on the surface of the earth.
The author shot from a cannon at the Nizhny Tagil training ground 2A42 many hundreds of rounds. This included unique shooting on the ground in a corridor with duralumin walls. I remember well the tedious procedure of searching for holes on these walls. There were few of them, very few...
All this taken together leads to huge waste of ammunition. IN table Calculated data are given on the burst values of a 30-mm cannon, ensuring with a probability of 0.9 the destruction of a target - an ATGM crew equipped with personal protective equipment - at a distance of 2000 m.
| Target location | Shooting | |
| from place | on the move | |
| On a surface | 40 | 70 |
| In the trench | 100 | 150 |
In the cell – the required queue length.
The conclusion is the same: BMPT with a 30 mm cannon cannot protect tanks from tank-dangerous infantry.
The way out of the situation is well known: it is necessary to switch automatic guns to a larger caliber. This issue was and remains relevant for infantry fighting vehicles, however, in this case, the preservation of water navigation imposed very strict restrictions on the total mass of the weapon system, including the mass of the firing installation and ammunition. WhenBMPT these restrictions are becoming less stringent, and an increase in caliber is quite real.
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Increasing the caliber of guns would significantly increase combat capabilitiesBMPT, For example:
Solve the problem of hitting opposing tank-dangerous armored targets;
Increase the effectiveness of fragmentation action, including against targets in trenches and on reverse slopes, by implementing air bursts of shells over the target using trajectory time fuses;
Increase the likelihood of hitting anti-tank helicopters and other air targets through the use of proximity fuses;
Increase the likelihood of hitting ground and air targets through the use of guided projectiles.
It is almost impossible to implement the last three points in 30 mm caliber. The volume of the chamber for an explosive charge in a 30-mm projectile is approximately 30 cm. The volume of the control unit and trajectory fuse with a modern element electronic database using integrated circuits - 15 and 12 cc, respectively, including a power source (battery or capacitor) charged when fired - 5 cc, which sharply reduces the mass of the explosive charge (for a guided projectile by half). As a result, the effect of the projectile on the target becomes negligible.
For a 40-mm caliber, the relative loss of explosive mass will be significantly less.
To date, not a single 30 mm artillery shell has been able to achieve control or trajectory detonation. The minimum caliber in which the latter is implemented is 35 mm (projectile AHEAD Oerlikon company).
In the 40 mm caliber, all these problems have long been overcome. An example of a small-caliber projectile with a multifunctional proximity fuse is a 40-mm projectile 3P-HV automatic gun L70 Swedish company "Bofors"see "TV", 2001, No. 9 ), an example of a 40 mm guided projectile is a guided projectile 4PGJS the same company for the ship system "Trinity".
The trend towards the transition of automatic BMP guns to 40 mm caliber has now already become evident. The pioneer was the Swedish company Bofors, which mass-produces infantry fighting vehicles. CV-9040 with 40 mm automatic cannon L70B. The mass of the gun is 560 kg, the maximum rate of fire is 320 rounds/min, the ammunition load is 234 rounds (the total mass of the HE projectile is 0.975 kg, the initial HE velocity is 1025 m/s).
Another 40-mm automatic cannon, created specifically for arming light armored vehicles, was CTVVS from Alliant Technologies (USA) with a telescopic chuck. The gun is designed as a low-profile uninhabited tower having total weight 982 kg. Characteristic feature C.T.W.S. is a transverse loading scheme. The gun bolt is made in the form of a rotary cylinder equipped with a channel for a telescopic sleeve. Rate of fire C.T.W.S.– 200 rounds/min, cartridge weight – 1.8 kg, initial speed of BOPS – 1600 m/s. The issue of installing this system on an English infantry fighting vehicle is currently being considered. "Warrior"instead of a 30 mm cannon RARDEN. The option of using a 45-mm cannon on this infantry fighting vehicle is also being discussed.
The French company GIAT also proposed a 40-mm gun STA with a telescopic shot for a promising infantry fighting vehicle EBRC.
Automatic guns are also being developed for new infantry fighting vehicles. large calibers. For heavy German infantry fighting vehicle "Marder-2", close in characteristics toBMPT Uralvagonzavod (combat weight 43 tons, engine power 1100 kW (1500 hp)), the Mauser company, part of the Rheinmetall corporation, developed a 50-mm automatic cannon Rh503(gun weight 540 kg, barrel length 85 calibers, maximum pressure in the barrel bore 560 MPa, rate of fire 150–400 rounds/min, sabot projectile weight 640 g, muzzle velocity 1600 m/s). The gun has a linkless cartridge feed and a replaceable 35 mm barrel for firing practice. Currently, for a number of reasons, the BMP program "Marder-2" suspended.
About the development of the 50 mm gun "Bushmaster III", intended for rearmament of infantry fighting vehicles "Bradley", Boeing also reported. There is information about a prototype BMP VCC-80(Italy) with a 60-mm automatic cannon from the OTO-Melara company.
Undoubtedly, the designers of Nizhny TagilBMPT were aware of these trends. Why did they arm their vehicle with low-power 30mm cannons? The answer is obvious: because Russia does not have a modern automatic gun of a larger caliber. Tula KBP, which created under the leadership of A.G. Shipunov and V.P. Gryazeva has a wonderful selection of 30mm assault rifles of all types; he doesn’t want to deal with larger calibers: why bother yourself when life is already good? Therefore, the Urals acted according to the well-known principle: “they made it out of what they had.” And in such a large matter it was impossible to follow circumstances. It was necessary long ago and sharply to raise in all instances, including in the press, the question of the development of large-caliber assault rifles, and, as a last resort, the purchase of a license for a foreign 40-mm assault rifle, for example for the same L70 "Bofors". But even in this situation, it was possible to get out of the situation by installing 37- or 45-mm domestic machine guns on the machine. In this case, it is quite natural to useBMPT artillery unit of an anti-aircraft self-propelled gun ZSU-37-2 "Yenisei", developed in 1957–1962, but not adopted for service. The installation was armed with two 500P machine guns with tape power and liquid cooling. The rate of fire was 900–1200 rounds/min, the maximum range was 4500 m, the projectile speed was 1000 m/s, the mass of the fragmentation tracer projectile was 0.733 kg, the transportable ammunition was 540 rounds, the crew was 4 people, the weight of the installation was 27 .5 tons.
Conducted at NIISM MSTU. Bauman's estimates show that the effectiveness of 37-mm installations compared to 30-mm will increase against ground unarmored tank-hazardous targets by 2–2.5 times, against lightly armored ones – by 2.5–3 times, against air targets – by 3–4 times .
The problem of choosing a caliber - 37, 40 or 45 mm - is complicated by the requirements of interspecific unification. For light amphibious infantry fighting vehicles, including airborne ones, the 45 mm caliber is not suitable due to strict restrictions on the total mass of the weapon system (gun + ammunition). From the table for an infantry fighting vehicle with a weapon mass of 600 kg, it can be seen that with a 45 mm caliber, the number of ammunition drops catastrophically.
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BMP with an automatic cannon with a weapon weight of 600 kg |
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Caliber, mm |
30 | 40 | 45 |
|
Weight of gun, kg |
120 | 284 | 404 |
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Ammunition weight, kg |
480 | 316 | 196 |
|
Weight of one shot, kg |
1,0 | 2,4 | 3,4 |
|
Number of ammunition, pcs. |
480 | 132 | 58 |
A strong argument in favor of the 40 mm caliber is the possibility of widespread export of 40 mm shells and international cooperation in their production. The 40 mm caliber is included in the range of normal linear sizes. In this regard, non-standard 37 and 45 mm calibers have no real chance in the world arms markets.
In a comprehensive assessment of the new vehicle, the aspect of its use in regional conflicts and counter-separatist operations is very important. A significant proportion of these operations are performed in populated areas, where targets can be located in buildings, including on the upper floors, behind brick and concrete fences, in ruins, etc. Under these conditions, reliable action on brick and concrete and the implementation of air bursting of the projectile acquire a decisive role. The 30mm gun provides neither one nor the other. At ranges of more than a thousand meters, a 30-mm OFS does not penetrate a brick stack “in one brick” (0.25 m). In this senseBMPT represents a step back fromBMP-3, armed with a 100 mm cannon 2A70 with a high-explosive fragmentation projectile.
Apparently the designersBMPT assign the task of hitting targets in structures to ATGM guided missiles "Ataka-T" with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, but these hopes seem unfounded. Firstly, there are only two of these missiles in ammunition, which is clearly not enough for a long battle in the city, and secondly, a guided missile is too expensive a weapon for regional conflicts.
Partially a tribute to the “regional” problem is the installation onBMPT two 30-mm automatic grenade launchers AG-17D, allowing, thanks to the hinged trajectory, to hit targets behind cover. However, in this case, the same disease occurs - a small caliber. It is hardly justified to have two operators of grenade launchers, which are, in essence, auxiliary weapons.
Conclusions:
BMPT with the presented weapons complex, it cannot be a reliable partner for a tank in full-scale wars of the classical type, and it also turns out to be ineffective in regional conflicts and counter-separatist operations;
The main reason for this is the weakness of the main weapon - the 30 mm automatic front sight. This gun should be replaced by a larger caliber gun - 37, 40 or 45 mm. The preferred caliber is 40 mm;
Ammunition for the new gun in mandatory An armor-piercing finned sabot projectile (BOPS), a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with a temporary fuse, and a high-explosive fragmentation projectile with a proximity fuse must be included.
In the post-war period, Soviet designers created many samples of various weapons. One of them was the creation of A. G. Shipunov and V. P. Gryazev - the 2A42 automatic cannon. According to military experts, this weapon is capable of hitting both enemy personnel, lightly armored vehicles, and low-flying air targets. You will find information about the history of creation, characteristics and technical description of the 2A42 automatic cannon in this article.
Start of design work
In the mid-1970s, the Soviet Union began to develop 30-mm ammunition, which was later planned to be used as an interspecific weapon. In other words, such a cartridge could be equipped with 30-mm rifle systems used by the ground forces, navy and air force. Initially, the cartridge was listed under the symbol AO-18. The shot pressure was 3600 atm. However, according to experts, this unified ammunition did not fully comply with the stated requirements of the military command for guns. For this reason, there was a need for a new automatic gun, which became the 30 mm 2A42.
About the creation of a new weapon
The design of the 30 mm 2A42 automatic cannon was carried out by employees of the Tula Design Bureau. Led by V. P. Gryazev and A. G. Shipunov. In 1978, the first prototype was already ready. Later, the leadership of the USSR decided that the serial production of guns should be carried out at this enterprise.
The gun's automation uses the energy of powder gases, which are discharged from the barrel. For this purpose it was equipped with a special side hole. In an effort to reduce the rather powerful recoil, the designers dampened the barrel. In addition, it is provided for its rollback by 3.5 cm during a shot. In order to make it easier to supply belts with ammunition to the gun, it was mounted motionless on the installation. Due to the fact that the new automatic gun was initially intended for infantry and airborne combat vehicles, the idea of using the gun in helicopters was met with skepticism. Some experts believed that using the 2A42 on a helicopter was not advisable.
This point of view was also shared in industrial institutes. That is why, while working on a gun for the Ka-50 helicopter, employees of the Design Bureau named after. Kamov paid especially much attention to the entire structure. Since the helicopter fed the single-barrel gun with cartridge belts from both sides, the fighters had the opportunity to equip the gun with the required type of ammunition (armor-piercing or incendiary high-explosive fragmentation) depending on the target that was to be destroyed. This design feature made it possible to save transported combat kit.
Device
The 30 mm gun consists of the following main components:
- Trunk.
- Breech.
- Butt plate.
- Buttplate axles.
- Electric descent.
- Contactor.
- Receiver.
- Springs.
- Bolt frame.
The Kamovites attached a plate with the following parts on it to the gun pullers using four screws:
- A special guide for the carriage in the form of feed fingers.
- A bar whose task is to guide the cartridge during feeding from the belt and hold the axis of the fingers, preventing them from falling out.
- A special stop that guides the cartridge and turns off the lever feed latch.
The task of the receiver is to direct the movement of the entire bolt group. Also on the box are placed and connected all the components and spare parts of the gun. The receiver is represented by the box itself, counter slopes, cassettes: two front and two rear, two side cartridge clamps, 2 guide links, a latch, a reflector and a rod.
The receiver is a stamped steel structure. The bolt release is released using the reloading guide. Strips (2 pcs.) are used as stops for the spring. In an effort to increase the rigidity of the box, the structure was equipped with two liners and a plate. The cassettes are fastened using a bracket.
The front and rear pullers guide the cartridge strip. In order to prevent the ammunition from moving from the line along which they are sent into the gun, the rear pullers were equipped with special rods with flags. After firing, use the switch to release the latch and turn the flag. As a result, the cartridge is removed from the feed line.
How does it work?
The gun is adapted to produce both single and automatic fire in small bursts of 300 and large bursts of 550 rounds per minute. Recharging is done manually. Three squibs can also be used for this purpose. The 2A42 has mechanical and remote aiming. In the second case, control is carried out by an electric trigger. Used as a power source D.C., whose voltage indicator is 27 V.
terms of Use
According to military experts, effective work This automatic weapon is completely unaffected by temperature. 2A42 functions equally well at temperatures of -50 and +50 degrees. This small arms can be used in rainy weather, in dusty and icy areas.
About transportation
The 2A42 automatic cannon is equipped with the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles, the BMD-2 airborne assault vehicles and the BMPT. Also 2A42 are equipped combat helicopters Ka-50. In addition, employees of the South African branch of BEA Systems Corporation developed and successfully tested the TRT-R30 controlled turret. Using this combat module you can also install a 2A42 automatic cannon on an armored vehicle.
About ammunition
From the very beginning to this day, the gun has been equipped with three types of cartridges:
- Armor-piercing tracer. In technical documentation they are designated by the abbreviation BT.
- High-explosive fragmentation with incendiary mixture (OFZ).
- Fragmentation tracers (FRT).
In the 1980s, it turned out that solid-body armor-piercing shells were ineffective when used with the basic NATO model Marder-1 with a mass of 29.2 tons, and the 22.6-ton Bradley.
TTX
- The 2A42 automatic cannon is a small-caliber single-barrel gun.
- For service Soviet army entered in 1980.
- Shooting is carried out with a 30x165 mm cartridge.
- Caliber 2A42 - 30 mm.
- During firing, energy of 150-180 kJ is generated.
- The total length of the gun is 302.7 cm, the barrel is 240 cm.
- The barrel is equipped with 16 rifling. The pitch length is 715.5 mm.
- The barrel weighs no more than 38.5 kg.
- The mass of the entire gun is 115 kg.
- Within one minute, you can fire from 550 to 800 shots.
- The fired projectile moves at a speed of 970 m/s.
- The recoil generated during firing is 40-50 kN.
About strengths
The 2A42 automatic cannon has the following advantages:
- Due to the variable rate of fire and selective ammunition supply, carried out from two boxes with different cartridges, the effectiveness of destruction was increased by 30%. Also, ammo consumption is more economical.
- The cannon barrel has sufficient combat survivability to release the entire ammunition load at once. At the same time, the 2A42 does not require intermediate cooling, which is important in real combat conditions.
- The gun is effective in dusty conditions, which is important when using it on combat helicopters, since during their operation they often have to operate at low altitudes with characteristic dust formations and perform autonomous deployments on unpaved sites with limited maintenance.
- Due to its high initial velocity, the fired projectile has exceptional combat accuracy and high armor penetration. From a distance of 1500 m, it can penetrate a 15-mm armored steel sheet located at an angle of 60 degrees. Manpower is affected at a distance of no more than 4 thousand meters, lightly armored vehicles - one and a half kilometers, air objects - up to 2 thousand meters.
However, unlike similar aircraft guns, the cannon has a large mass. According to military experts, this is its only disadvantage.
Finally
The high efficiency of the 30-mm 2A42 gun, produced by employees of the Artillery Armament design bureau, was highly appreciated by the military.
A similar gun, namely its unlicensed copy, which is listed in the technical documentation as ZTM-2, is manufactured by Ukrainian gunsmiths at the scientific and technical complex “Precision Mechanics Plant” in the city of Kamenets-Podolsk. In addition, in NATO member countries, design work is underway to create a combat projectile for this weapon.
Around the middle of the 20th century, the 30 mm caliber became the de facto standard for automatic guns. Of course, automatic guns of other calibers, from 20 to 40 mm, also became widespread, but the 30 mm caliber still became the most widely used. Rapid-firing 30 mm caliber guns are especially widespread in the Armed Forces of the USSR/Russia.
The scope of application of 30 mm automatic guns is enormous. These are aircraft guns on fighters, attack aircraft and combat helicopters, rapid-fire guns on infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and complexes air defense(air defense) short-range, and air defense systems of the near zone of surface ships of the navy (Navy).
The main developer of 30-mm automatic guns in the USSR/Russia is the Tula Instrument Design Bureau (KBP). It was from this that such wonderful 30 mm automatic cannons came out as the 2A42 product, installed on the BMP-2 and the Ka-50/52, Mi-28 helicopters, this and the 2A72 product, installed in the BMP-3 turret module, together with a 100 mm gun and 12.7 mm machine gun, rapid-firing double-barreled guns 2A38, mounted on anti-aircraft gun-missile systems (ZPRK) "Tunguska" and "Pantsir", aviation GSh-301 for aircraft and shipborne six-barreled AO-18 (GSh-6-30K) and other models.
30 mm gun 2A42
The 30-mm 2A42 cannon is probably the “Kalashnikov assault rifle” among automatic guns:
- caliber: 30 mm, cartridge – 30×165 mm;
- length: 3027 mm;
- total weight: 115 kg;
- rate of fire is variable: 550-800 rounds/min. or 200-300 rounds/min;
- gun power supply: two-belt (selective ammunition supply);
- barrel survivability: 9000 shots;
- effective firing range for manpower: up to 4000 m;
- effective firing range for lightly armored vehicles: up to 1500 m;
- effective firing range at air targets: up to 2000 m / 2500 m.
At the same time, in the 21st century, complaints about 30 mm automatic guns began to appear. In particular, armored combat vehicles of the ground forces (ground forces) began to be equipped with enhanced armor protection, capable of withstanding fire from 30 mm cannons in the frontal projection. In this regard, words began to be heard about the transition to automatic guns of 40 mm caliber or more. In Russia, you can increasingly see samples of armored vehicles with a 57 mm 2A91 automatic cannon, developed by the Burevestnik Central Research Institute.
BMP-3 equipped with an AU-220M combat module
BMP-3, equipped with an AU-220M combat module, with a 57 mm automatic cannon:
- length: 5820 mm, width: 2100 mm, height: 1300 mm;
- cartridge: 57×348 mm SR;
- gun rate of fire: 120 rounds/min;
- firing range: 12,000 m;
- ammunition: 80 shells.
At the same time, as the caliber increases, the ammunition capacity is radically reduced. If for the 30-mm gun of the BMP-2 the ammunition load is 500 shells, then for the 57 mm gun of the AU-220M module, which can be installed on both the BMP-2 and the BMP-3, the ammunition load is only 80 shells.
The weight and size characteristics of the modules, with 57 mm caliber guns, do not always allow them to be placed on compact armored vehicles. It is also unlikely that it will be possible to install a 57 mm cannon on a helicopter or airplane, even if you place it close to the center of mass, as on the Ka-50/52, or build the aircraft “around the cannon,” like the American A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft.
Automatic 30-mm seven-barreled gun of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft
In aviation, the very need to install an automatic cannon is often questioned. A significant increase in the power of radar and optical location stations (radar and OLS), the improvement of long-, medium- and short-range air-to-air missiles, in combination with all-aspect guidance systems, minimize the likelihood that the situation in the air will reach a “dog dump” ", i.e. maneuverable air combat using automatic guns.
Significance reduction technologies and electronic warfare(EW) are unlikely to change this situation, since in any case, the growth in the capabilities of modern radars and OLS will most likely make it possible to detect and attack an aircraft with stealth technology beyond the range of automatic guns.
At present, automatic cannons on multifunctional fighters remain rather due to a certain conservatism air force(BBC).
For combat helicopters, the use of an automatic cannon means entering the kill zone of short-range hand-held air defense systems of the Igla/Stinger type, anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and small arms and cannon weapons of ground combat vehicles.
The use of automatic guns as part of ground-based anti-aircraft missile systems also raises questions. As part of one complex, automatic cannons are used on Soviet/Russian air defense missile systems "Tunguska" and "Pantsir". According to the results of the military operations in Syria, all real combat targets were shot down by missiles, and not by automatic guns. According to some reports, automatic 30 mm guns do not have the accuracy and accuracy sufficient to hit small targets, such as unmanned aircraft(UAV) or guided/unguided munition.
Table of targets hit by the Pantsir S1 air defense system in Syria
This leads to the fact that often the cost of a downed target does not exceed the cost of an anti-aircraft guided missile (SAM) fired at it. Large targets, such as an airplane or helicopter, are tried not to fall within the range of action of automatic guns.
A similar situation is developing in the navy. If subsonic anti-ship missiles (ASMs) can still be hit by multi-barreled automatic cannons, then the probability of hitting supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles is significantly lower, not to mention hypersonic anti-ship missiles. In addition, the high approach speed and significant mass of a supersonic/hypersonic anti-ship missile can lead to the fact that even if it is hit at a short distance from the ship, the remains of the dilapidated anti-ship missile will reach the ship and cause significant damage to it.
To summarize the above, it may turn out that in Russia, in the ground forces on infantry fighting vehicles, 30 mm automatic cannons will most likely be replaced by automatic cannons of 57 mm caliber; on airplanes, most of the time, an automatic cannon takes up space for nothing, in anti-aircraft missile systems, both ground forces and the Navy, the role of 30 mm automatic guns is also decreasing, which may lead to their gradual abandonment and replacement with RIM-116 type air defense systems. Could this lead to the gradual oblivion of 30 mm weapons, and what areas of development and areas of application do quick-firing guns of this caliber have?
The use of 57 mm automatic cannons on infantry fighting vehicles does not mean that there is no place for their 30 mm counterparts on other types of ground combat equipment. In particular, the NGAS company presented the concept of installing modules with the M230LF cannon on armored vehicles, small-sized robotic systems and others vehicles, as well as stationary structures, as a replacement for 12.7 mm machine guns.
M230LF 30mm automatic cannon on an armored vehicle
Automatic gun M230LF 30 mm caliber on a ground-based remote-controlled robotic complex
Automatic cannon M230LF 30 mm caliber on a stationary turret
Similar remote-controlled weapon modules (RCWM), for use on light armored vehicles and ground-based robotic systems, can also be developed on the basis of Russian 30 mm automatic guns. This will significantly expand the scope of their application and sales market. The significant recoil of 30 mm guns can be reduced by limiting the rate of fire of automatic 30 mm guns to 200-300 rounds/min.
An extremely interesting solution could be the creation of compact remote-controlled weapon modules based on 30 mm guns, for use on main battle tanks, as a replacement for the 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
It is worth noting that the issue of equipping tanks with a 30 mm caliber auxiliary gun was repeatedly considered both in the USSR/Russia and in NATO countries, but the matter never reached large-scale production. For T-80 tanks, an installation with a 30-mm 2A42 automatic cannon was created and tested. It was intended to replace the Utes machine gun and was mounted in the upper rear part of the turret. The gun's pointing angle is 120 degrees horizontally and -5/+65 degrees vertically. The ammunition load was supposed to be 450 shells.
A promising 30-mm remote-controlled weapon module should have all-round horizontal visibility and a large vertical guidance angle. The power of a 30-mm projectile, compared to a 12.7 mm caliber bullet, combined with maximum visibility from the roof of a tank turret, will significantly increase the tank’s ability to combat tank-dangerous targets, such as grenade launchers and armored vehicles with ATGMs, and enhance the ability to defeat aircraft enemy means of attack. Massive equipping of DUMV tanks with 30 mm cannons can make such a class of armored vehicles as the tank support combat vehicle (BMPT) unnecessary.
Another promising area for using 30 mm guns as part of tank armament could be joint work with the main gun when hitting enemy tanks equipped with active protection systems (APS). In this case, it is necessary to synchronize the operation of the main gun and the 30 mm cannon in such a way that when firing at an enemy tank, a burst of 30 mm shells is fired a little earlier than the firing of an armor-piercing discarding sabot (APS) projectile from the main gun. Thus, being hit by 30-mm shells initially leads to damage to the active protection elements of the enemy tank (detection radar, containers with striking elements), which allows the BOPS to hit the tank without hindrance. Shooting, of course, must be carried out in an automated mode, i.e. The gunner points the crosshairs at the enemy tank, selects the “anti-KAZ” mode, presses the trigger, and then everything happens automatically.
The option of equipping 30 mm shells with some aerosol or other filler and a fuse with remote detonation may also be considered. In this case, a burst of 30 mm shells detonates in the active protection zone of the enemy tank, interfering with the operation of its radar detection equipment, but without interfering with the flight of the BOPS.
Another direction for developing the scope of application and increasing the efficiency of 30 mm automatic guns is the creation of projectiles with remote detonation along the flight path, and in the future the creation of controlled 30 mm projectiles.
Projectiles with remote detonation have been developed and implemented in NATO countries. In particular, the German company Rheinmetall offers a 30 mm air blast projectile, also known under the designation KETF (Kinetic Energy Time Fused - kinetic with a remote fuse), equipped with an electronic timer programmed by an inductive coil in the muzzle.
In Russia, 30-mm projectiles with remote detonation on the trajectory were developed by the Moscow NPO Pribor. Unlike the inductive system used by Rheinmetall, Russian projectiles use a remote detonation initiation system using a laser beam. Ammunition of this type will be tested in 2019 and in the future should be included in the ammunition of the latest combat vehicles of the Russian army.
The use of projectiles with remote detonation along the flight path will increase the capabilities of air defense systems equipped with 30-mm automatic cannons to combat small-sized and maneuvering targets. The air defense of ground combat vehicles equipped with 30 mm automatic cannons will be strengthened in the same way. The ability to defeat enemy personnel in open areas will increase. This is especially important for tanks, if they are equipped with a DUMV with a 30 mm automatic cannon.
The next step could be the creation of guided projectiles in 30 mm caliber.
Currently, there are developments of guided projectiles of 57 mm caliber. In particular, BAE Systems Corporation at the Sea-Air-Space 2015 exhibition for the first time presented a new 57-mm ORKA (Ordnance for Rapid Kill of Attack Craft) guided projectile, designated as Mk 295 Mod 1. The new projectile is designed for firing from 57-mm mm of ship-based universal automatic artillery installations Mk 110. The projectile must have a two-channel combined homing head - with a semi-active laser channel (guidance is carried out using external laser target designation) and an electro-optical or infrared channel that uses memory of the target's appearance.
BAE Systems' 57mm ORKA guided projectile under development
According to some reports, Russia is also developing a 57 mm caliber guided projectile for the Air Defense Derivation anti-aircraft module. The development of the guided projectile is carried out by the Tochmash Design Bureau named after A. E. Nudelman. The developed guided artillery projectile (UAS) is stored in an ammunition rack, launched from a rifled gun barrel and guided by a laser beam, which makes it possible to hit targets in a wide range of ranges - from 200 m to 6...8 km for manned targets and up to 3...5 km for unmanned ones .
The UAS airframe is made according to the canard aerodynamic design. The tail of the projectile consists of four rudders placed in a sleeve, which are deflected by a steering gear located in the nose of the projectile. The drive operates from the incoming air flow.
The UAS is fired with a high initial speed and almost immediately has the lateral accelerations necessary for guidance. The projectile can be fired towards the target or towards the calculated lead point. In the first case, guidance is carried out using the three-point method. In the second case, guidance is carried out by adjusting the trajectory of the projectile. In both cases, the projectile is teleoriented in a laser beam (a similar control system is used in the Kornet ATGM of the Tula KBP). The photodetector of the laser beam aimed at the target is located in the end part and is covered with a tray, which is separated in flight.
Anti-aircraft 57-mm UAS: 1 – protective cap, 2 – centering belt, 3 – sleeve, 4 – steering gear, 5 – non-contact radio target sensor, 6 – explosive, 7 – tail
Is it possible to create guided projectiles in 30 mm caliber? Of course, this will be much more difficult than developing a UAS in 57 mm caliber. A 57 mm caliber projectile is essentially closer to 100 mm caliber projectiles, for which guided ammunition was created quite a long time ago. Also, the use of 57 mm UAS is most likely planned in single firing mode.
However, there are projects to create guided weapons in significantly smaller dimensions, for example, a controlled cartridge of 12.7 mm caliber. Such projects are being developed both in the USA, under the auspices of the well-known DARPA, and in Russia.
Thus, in 2015, the US Department of Defense tested promising EXACTO bullets with a controlled flight path. Bullets developed under the Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance program will be used in a new high-precision sniper system consisting of a rifle, a special optical sight and guided cartridges. Technical details about the ammunition are not disclosed.
According to unconfirmed reports, the pool contains a small battery, a microcontroller, a laser sensor and folding handlebars. After the shot, the microcontroller is activated and begins to guide the bullet to the target using the released air rudders. According to other information, flight correction is carried out by deflecting the toe of the bullet. The guidance system is presumably telecontrol in a laser beam.
Presumably this is what the Exacto guided bullet looks like
According to information from the Russian Foundation for Advanced Research (FPI), Russia has also begun testing a “smart bullet” in controlled flight mode. At the same time, it was suggested that 30 mm ammunition could be taken as a basis, which could accommodate a control unit, a source of motion, a block of stabilizers and combat unit. However, according to the latest data, Russia has postponed indefinitely the project to create guided bullets capable of adjusting their flight. This is not necessarily due to the technical impossibility of creating them; often the limiting factor is the financial factor or a change in priorities.
And finally, the closest project in relation to the 30 mm guided projectile we are interested in is the Raytheon project - MAD-FIRES (Multi-Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System - Multi-Azimuth Defense, Fast Intercept and All-round Attack System). The MAD-FIRES project is an attempt to combine the precision of missiles with the "let's shoot more of them because they're cheap" approach. The projectiles must be suitable for firing from automatic cannons of caliber from 20 to 40 mm, while MAD-FIRE ammunition must combine the accuracy and controllability of missiles with the speed and rate of fire of conventional ammunition of the corresponding caliber.
MAD-FIRES guided missile
Based on the above examples, it can be assumed that the creation of guided munitions in 30 mm caliber is a quite feasible task for both the Western and Russian military-industrial complex (MIC). But how necessary is this? It goes without saying that the cost of guided projectiles will be significantly higher than the cost of their unguided counterparts, and higher than the cost of projectiles with remote detonation along the trajectory.
Here it is necessary to consider the situation as a whole. For armed forces the determining criterion is cost/effectiveness, i.e. if we hit a tank worth $10,000,000 with a $100,000 missile, then this is acceptable, but if we hit a $100,000 jeep with a $100,000 missile heavy machine gun, with a total cost of $10,000, then this is no longer very good. However, there may be other situations, for example, when a $100,000 anti-aircraft missile intercepted a $2,000 mortar shell, but thanks to this, a $100,000,000 plane at the airfield was not destroyed, and the pilot and maintenance personnel were not killed. IN general question cost is a multifaceted issue.
In addition, the development of technologies makes it possible to optimize the production of many components of promising products - high-precision casting, additive technologies (3D printing), MEMS technologies (microelectromechanical systems) and much more. It’s difficult to say now what the cost of a 30 mm guided projectile will ultimately be that developers/manufacturers can get – $5,000, $3,000, or maybe just $500 apiece.
Let's consider the impact of the advent of guided 30 mm projectiles on increasing the efficiency and expanding the scope of application of rapid-fire guns.
As mentioned earlier, in aviation, maneuverable combat with the use of guns has become extremely unlikely. On the other hand, it is extremely important to create a kind of “active protection” of the aircraft from attacking missiles. In the West, they are trying to solve this problem by creating highly maneuverable CUDA interceptor missiles, developed by Lockheed Martin. Such missiles will not harm our country either.
CUDA interceptor missile
As a means of active defense against attackers rockets You can also consider the use of 30 mm guided projectiles with remote detonation along the trajectory. The ammunition load of a modern fighter is about 120 pieces. 30 mm shells. Replacing existing standard ammunition with guided 30 mm projectiles with remote detonation will make it possible to conduct high-precision fire at enemy air-to-air or surface-to-air guided missiles on oncoming courses. Of course, this will require retrofitting aircraft with an appropriate guidance system, including 2-4 laser channels to ensure simultaneous attacks on several targets.
If a maneuverable air battle does take place, an aircraft with 30 mm guided projectiles will have an undeniable advantage due to the greater effective firing range, the absence of the need to accurately orient the aircraft's fixed gun at the enemy, and the ability to compensate, to some extent, for enemy maneuvers by adjusting the flight trajectory of the fired missiles. shells.
Finally, when solving such a problem as repelling a raid by long-range high-precision cruise missiles(KR), the pilot, after exhausting the missile ammunition, can spend several guided 30 mm projectiles on one conventional “Tomahawk”, i.e. one fighter can destroy an entire salvo of missiles from any Virginia-class submarine, or even two.
Similarly, the use of guided 30-mm projectiles in the air defense weapons of a surface ship will make it possible to push back the limit of destruction of anti-ship missiles. Now for the Kashtan anti-aircraft missile and gun system (ZRAK) the affected area is indicated in official sources artillery weapons at a range from 500 to 1.5 thousand m, but in fact the destruction of anti-ship missiles occurs at the turn of 300-500 m, at a range of 500 m the probability of hitting the Harpoon anti-ship missile is 0.97, and at a range of 300 m - 0.99 .
The use of 30 mm guided projectiles, like the use of any guided weapon, will increase the likelihood of hitting anti-ship missiles at a significantly greater distance. This will also make it possible to reduce the size of ship artillery installations by reducing the ammunition load and abandoning the monstrous “Duet” type products.
Shipborne dual-automatic 30-mm automatic artillery mount "Duet"
The same can be said about the use of guided 30 mm projectiles in land air defense systems. The presence of 30 mm guided projectiles in the Pantsir ammunition will allow saving missile weapons when hitting subsonic precision-guided ammunition, leaving missiles for the carrier aircraft, which will reduce the likelihood of a repetition of the situations that occurred in Syria, when air defense systems with spent ammunition were destroyed with impunity.
From an economic point of view, destroying mortar mines and balloons with 30 mm guided projectiles should also be cheaper than with anti-aircraft missiles.
Finally, the use of guided 30-mm projectiles in the ammunition load of ground vehicles and combat helicopters will make it possible to destroy targets from a greater range, with a significantly higher probability and with less ammunition consumption. If there are quality sighting devices It will be possible to work on the enemy’s vulnerable points - surveillance devices, areas of weakened armor, air intake filters, exhaust system elements, and so on. For a tank with a 30 mm DUMV, the presence of guided ammunition will allow you to more accurately hit elements of the active protection of an enemy tank, and work against attacking helicopters and UAVs with a high probability of hitting the target.
The Russian 2A42 and 2A72 guns have an important advantage over many others - the presence of selective ammunition from two shell boxes. Accordingly, one box can contain guided 30 mm ammunition, and another can contain conventional ammunition, which will allow you to select the necessary ammunition based on the situation.
The use of 30-mm guided projectiles in the interests of all types of Russian armed forces will reduce the cost of an individual projectile due to the mass production of standardized components.
Thus, we can formulate a conclusion - extend life cycle high-speed automatic guns of 30 mm caliber will be given the following directions of development:
1. Creation of the lightest and most compact combat modules based on 30-mm guns.
2. Massive introduction of projectiles with remote detonation along the flight path.
3. Development and implementation of 30 mm caliber guided projectiles.
