Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30

Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30
Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30
Type	Rotary cannon
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
In service	1975–present
Production history
Designer	KBP
Manufacturer	KBP
Specifications
Mass	149 kg (328lb); Projectile: 390 g (13¾ oz)
Length	2,040 millimetres (6.69 ft)
Shell	30×165mm
Caliber	30 mm (1.18 in)
Barrels	6
Action	Gas actuated,electrically fired
Rate of fire	4,000–6,000 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity	845 m/s (2,770 ft/s)[citation needed]

TheGryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30(Russian:Грязев-Шипунов ГШ-6-30)^[2]is a Russian 30 mmrotary cannonaircraft-mounted and navalautocannonused bySovietand laterCIS military aircraft.The GSh-6-30 fires a30×165mm,390 g (13+3⁄4oz) projectile.^[3]

Description

The GSh-6-30, designed in the early 1970s and entering service in1975,has asix barreldesign that is similar to theGryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23.It was based on the naval AO-18 used in theAK-630system. Unlike most modern rotary cannons, it is gas-operated rather than hydraulically driven, allowing it to "spin up" to maximum rate of fire more quickly, allowing more rounds to be placed on target in a short-duration burst. This makes the weapon advantageous in dogfights, where pilots often have a very small window for engaging the enemy. Ignition is electrical, as with the smaller GSh-6-23.

On theMiG-27 "Flogger"the GSh-6-30 had to be mounted obliquely to absorbrecoil.The gun was noted for its high (often uncomfortable) vibration and extreme noise. The airframe vibration led to fatigue cracks in fuel tanks, numerous radio and avionics failures, the necessity of using runways with floodlights for night flights (as the landing lights would often be destroyed), tearing or jamming of the forward landing gear doors (leading to at least three crash landings), cracking of thereflector gunsight,an accidental jettisoning of the cockpit canopy and at least one case of the instrument panel falling off in flight. The weapons also dealt extensive collateral damage, as the sheer numbers of fragments from detonating shells was sufficient to damage aircraft flying within a 200-meter radius from the impact center, including the aircraft firing.^[4]

The principal application for the GSh-6-30 is theMiG-27,which carries the weapon in a gondola under thefuselage,primarily for strafing and ground attack. It was fitted to someSu-25TMaircraft, but subsequently replaced with theGSh-30-2twin-barreledautocannonof the original Su-25. It is also used as the gun component of theCADS-N-1 Kashtan close-in weapon system.

Variants

GSh-6-30M;
AO-18L; version used by ABM-BCM30 remote weapon station.
GSh-6-30K; Naval variant of GSh-6-30, also known as AO-18 used inAK-630CIWS system.^[2]
AO-18K; Modernized AO-18 used byKashtan CIWS.
AO-18KD; Further improved AO-18K with a higher rate of fire and extended range used inAK-630M2,Palma/PalashandPantsir-MCIWS systems.^[5]