30 mm caliber



The 30 mm caliber is a specific size of autocannon ammunition. Such ammunition includes NATO standard 30×173 mm and 30×113 mm B rounds and Soviet 30×165 mm 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 armored vehicles as well as fortified bunkers.

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 in 30mm. 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 30mm ammunition


30 × 90mm RB
 * MK 108 cannon (German, aircraft, WWII)

30 × 92mm RB
 * 30mm Type 2 cannon (Japanese, aircraft, WWII)

30 × 113mm B
 * Hughes M230 Chain Gun (US, 1975–)
 * Royal Small Arms Factory ADEN revolver cannon (UK, aircraft, 1954–)
 * GIAT DEFA 550 series of revolver cannon (France, 1954–)
 * Nexter 30 M 781 revolver cannon (France)

30 × 114mm
 * Ho-155 cannon (Japanese, aircraft, WWII)

30 × 122mm
 * 30mm Type 5 cannon (Japanese, aircraft, WWII)

30 × 150mm B
 * 30M791 revolver cannon (France)

30 × 155mm B
 * Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 (Russia, aircraft)

30 × 165mm
 * Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-30-2 (Russia, aircraft)
 * Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-301 (Russia, aircraft)
 * Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30 rotary cannon (Russia, aircraft)
 * AK-630 CIWS
 * 2A38 (Russia, anti-aircraft autocannon)
 * 2A42 (Russia, IFV autocannon)
 * 2A72 (Russia, IFV autocannon)

30 × 170mm
 * L21A1 RARDEN high velocity gun (UK, vehicle, 1970s–)
 * Oerlikon KCB (Switzerland)

30 × 173mm
 * Oerlikon KCA (Switzerland)
 * GAU-8 Avenger (US, aircraft)
 * Bushmaster II (US)
 * Rheinmetall Mk30-2 (Germany, IFV)
 * Rheinmetall Mk30-1 (Germany)
 * Denel Land Systems EMAK 30 (South Africa, IFV)
 * Maadi Griffin 30mm (US, rifle)

30 x 184mm B
 * MK 101 cannon (German, aircraft, WWII)
 * MK 103 cannon (German, aircraft, WWII)

30 × 210mm B
 * AK-230 (Russia, naval anti-aircraft)

30 × 250mm Caseless
 * Rheinmetall RMK30 recoilless cannon (Germany)