| Mk44 Bushmaster II | |
|---|---|
 FinnishCV 9030 with Mk44 | |
| Type | Chain gunautocannon |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2007–present |
| Used by | Seeusers |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Alliant Techsystems |
| Manufacturer | Northrop Grumman |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 344 lb (160 kg) |
| Length | 134.05 inches (3,405 mm) |
| Barrel length | 94.88 inches (2,410 mm) |
| Width | 13.5 inches (340 mm) |
| Height | 15.43 inches (392 mm) |
| Shell | 30×173mm 40×180mm |
| Caliber | 30 millimetres (1.18 in) caliber 40 millimetres (1.57 in) caliber |
| Rate of fire | 100/200 rounds per minute |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,080 metres per second (3,500 ft/s) (HEI-T ammunition) |
| Effective firing range | 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) land appl. 5,100 metres (16,700 ft) naval appl. |
TheMk44 Bushmaster II is a30 mmchain gun manufactured byNorthrop Grumman. It is a derivative of the25 mmM242 Bushmaster, and uses 70% of the same parts as the M242 while increasing the firepower by as much as 50% with the 20% increase in caliber size. The barrel ischromium-plated for extended life. The gun uses standardGAU-8 Avenger ammunition that is available inAPI (Armor-Piercing Incendiary),HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary) andAPFSDS-T (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot-Tracer) variants.
The gun can be converted to a caliber of 40×180 mm, which involves changing the barrel and a few key parts, to use the SuperShot 40 cartridge. It can also be converted to use the 30×170 mmRARDEN cartridge.
The Bushmaster II is the standard primary armament of theBionix-II AFV currently in service with theSingapore Army, theKTO Rosomak inPolish service, and theCV90 AFVs inFinnish,Norwegian andSwiss service. Although theUnited States Air Force selected this cannon to replace the25 mm GAU-12 Equalizer andBofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 guns on its fleet ofAC-130U gunships in 2007, this plan was later canceled.[1] TheUnited States Marine Corps' cancelledExpeditionary Fighting Vehicle, was expected to be armed with this cannon as well. SomeUnited States Navy vessels, such as the newSan Antonio-classamphibious transport dock are armed with the Bushmaster II for surface threat defense.
The Bushmaster II cannon is used in theDS30M Mark 2 Automated Small Calibre Gun (ASCG) point defense system that is fitted to theRoyal Navy'sType 23 frigates.[2]
The Bushmaster II cannon is also used in the Turkish madeAselsan SMASH stabilizedweapon station.[3]
The USAF had experimented with installing Bushmaster II cannons on theirAC-130U gunships in place of theGAU-12 andBofors 40 mm cannons. On 11 August 2008, the effort was canceled because of problems with the Bushmaster's accuracy in tests "at the altitude we were employing it." There were also schedule considerations that drove the decision.[4] On 9 July 2012, the Air Force type classified a new version of the Bushmaster called theGAU-23/A. The cannon will be used on theAC-130W and theAC-130J gunships.[5]
_fires_a_MK-46_30mm_gun_during_a_live-fire_exercise_(28540439144).jpg)
TheU.S. Navy uses the Mk44 Bushmaster II in theMk 46 Mod 2 Gun Weapon System (GWS). The GWS is produced byGeneral Dynamics to give warships protection against small, high-speed surface craft. A Mk 46 turret consists of the 30 mm chain gun, aforward looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, a low light television camera, and alaser rangefinder. The guns fire at 200 rounds per minute and are fed by a 400-round magazine through 200-round dual feeds. Effective range is 2,200 yd (2,000 m) for full-caliber high-explosive or armor-piercing ammunition, which can be extended when using sub-caliber rounds. The Mk 46 GWS is permanently installed on theSan Antonio-class amphibious transport dock and can be installed onFreedom andIndependence-classlittoral combat ships as part of the surface warfare (SuW) package.[6][7] In 2012, the Navy decided to replace theMk 110 57 mm cannons onZumwalt-class destroyers with the Mk 46 GWS.[8]
Orbital ATK developed a modified version of the Bushmaster II, known as the Mk44 STRETCH, which can fire the 30x173 mm Mk310 PABM-Tairburst round.[9][10]
In January 2020,Northrop Grumman revealed the development ofproximityairburst rounds for the LCS' 30 mm gun modules to destroy smallunmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Since the modules feature dual feeders, different types of rounds could be fed for different targets.[11]
In October 2023, the UK announced it would be delivering the Terrahawk Paladin to Ukraine as part of assistance during theRussian invasion of Ukraine. The Terrahawk Paladin is made by MSI Defence Systems (MSI-DS) as a land-based version of theSeahawk. It is a static Very Short-Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) system that can be deployed off a truck. The system combines radars, EO/IR cameras, and laser rangefinders with a 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II chain gun with 240 rounds of airburst munitions capable of engaging small UAS out to 2 km (1.2 mi).[12][13][14]
The XM813 Bushmaster is based on the Mk44 and is offered as an upgrade forU.S. ArmyM1126 Stryker andM2 Bradley vehicles, as well as having been a contender to be the primary armament of theGround Combat Vehicle. The improvements include a 25.4 mm (1.00 in) longer barrel, integral mount to increase first round hit probability by up to 10%, a dual recoil system to enhance accuracy to help cope with future hotter propellants, and a Meggitt linkless dual feed ammunition system.[15] The 30 mm chain gun can fireMk310 ProgrammableAir Burst Munition rounds to attack targets indefilade. TheUnited States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command helped enhance the XM813 mainly for safety and turret integration. By changing five parts, the gun caliber can be increased to 40 mm. As of November 2013, the XM813 was being tested atAberdeen Proving Ground over three months to ensure reliability levels of 40,000 mean rounds between failures. Long-term plans are to equip vehicles with theBushmaster III 35mm/50mm cannon.[16][17]
The XM813 was demonstrated in September 2014 at the ARDEC Digital Multi-Purpose Range Complex. The gun was mounted on aBradley Fighting Vehicle and fired at targets up to 1,500 metres (0.93 mi) away. An enhanced fire control system improves long-range accuracy to kill targets with fewer bursts, sometimes as few as two or three rounds instead of 10. The XM813 30 mm cannon is intended to replace theM242 Bushmaster 25 mm chain gun, and can be mounted on vehicles other than the Bradley. Two capabilities not demonstrated were its linkless ammunition with airburst capabilities; airburst rounds increase lethality by enabling engagement of targets in defilade when they would otherwise only be suppressed by fire.[18]
In early 2015, the U.S. Army approved an upgrade for 81Stryker vehicles of aStryker Brigade Combat Team deployed in Europe to be upgunned with the Mk44 30 mm Bushmaster cannon to increase their lethality against other light armored vehicles used by Russia in the theater.[19] The cannons will be installed by 2018, and may be the first step in adding the Bushmaster to the entire active fleet of about 1,000 Strykers;[20] the XM813 variant will be used with the Strykers.[21] The XM813 has a demonstrated firing ability out to 3,000 metres (1.9 mi) for precision firing, nearly twice as far as theM2 12.7 mm caliber machine gun that has a maximum effective range of 1,830 metres (1.14 mi) as an area suppression weapon. The first upgunned Stryker, known as the "Dragoon" for the2nd Cavalry Regiment the vehicles will be part of, was delivered in October 2016,[22][23] and the first Infantry Carrier Vehicle - Dragoon (ICVD) was delivered to the 2CR in Germany in December 2017.[24]
The ATK MK44-ABM variant of the Bushmaster was selected in 2018 by theSpanish Army to equip theTizona turret of the Line version (IFV) of theDragón IFV, the replacement of thePegaso BMR.[25]
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| name | short description | notes |
|---|---|---|
| MK238 | High Explosive Incendiary-Tracer (HEI-T) | This round self-destructs if it misses its target.[49] |
| MK239 | Target Practice Traced (TP-T) | training ammunition, ballistically matched with the MK264.[50] |
| MK258 | Armor Piercing, Fin Stabilized, Discarding Sabot-Tracer (APFSDS-T) | The round is designed to be "supercavitating" to increase its effectiveness when fired at targets like underwater mines.[51] |
| MK264 | Multi Purpose Low Drag-Tracer(MPLD-T) | Light armor-piercing capability with a delayed explosive reaction using a chemical fuze. It is available with and without Self Destruct (SD). |
| MK266 | High Explosive Incendiary-Tracer (HEI-T) | An update to an earlier round, with enhanced range.[52] |
| MK310 | Programmable Air Burst Munition-Tracer (PABM-T) | Can be programmed to explode in the air above target to wound or kill enemies behind cover.[53] |
| MK317 | Target Practice Discarding Sabot-Tracer (TPDS-T) | A training round.[54] |
| PGU14/B | Armor Piercing Incendiary (API) | A relatively lightweight projectile with a core of densedepleted uranium penetrator.[55] |
| PGU13D/B | High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) | Aircraft mounted cannons use the round against personnel, trucks, ammunition storage, and other targets.[56] |
| PGU15A/B | Target Practice (TP) | A training round with the same ballistic properties ofPGU13D/B.[57] |
High Explosive Incendiary Tracer with Self Destruct, MK238: Low cost proven HEI-T with reliable M758 point detonating fuze with self destruct
The lethality of the round gives a simple look, shoot, kill capability to the helicopter crew enabling them to maintain a rapid tempo of operations and maximizing the tactical effectiveness of every mission while minimizing exposure to hostile forces.
ATK's MK266, a modification to the PGU-13 High Explosive Incendiary 30mm round, features a tracer and non-self-destruct, low-drag fuse for enhanced performance at extended ranges.
Inductive programming that is common with ATK's 30mm PABM-T Mk310; reliable and simple to integrate.
Target Practice Discarding Sabot-Tracer (TPDS-T) Mk. 317 [a quantity of 2,000 rounds will be required to be submitted].
The PGU-14/B API Armor Piercing Incendiary round has a lightweight body which contains a sub-calibre high density penetrator of Depleted Uranium (DU).
High Explosive Incendiary (HEI): Provides fragmentation and incendiary effects for use against personnel, trucks, ammunition storage, and many other targets.
The PGU-15/B TP Target Practice projectile simulates the exterior ballistics and provides a ballistic match to the HEI round and is used for pilot training.
