The exhibit item is available in the showcase No. 30 at the third exposition level
Chapter 15
Chapter 15. Design
Chapter 15. History of the weapon
2А42
30 mm automatic cannon
Russian automatic cannon designed by A.G. Shipunov and V.P. Gryazev
The history of the 2A42 gun is associated with the development of Soviet infantry fighting vehicles.
In 1966, the BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicle entered service. The Soviet Union was the first country to develop this new type of armored vehicles.
The uniqueness of the Tula cannon is that it is a multi-purpose artillery system used in combat vehicles.
Due to the design features, it was installed not only on the BMP-2, but also on
the BMD-2 and BMD-3 airborne assault vehicles,,the BTR-90A armored personnel carrier,as well as on the Ka-50,Ka-52 and Mi-28N attack helicopters.
The first prototype of the cannon was fabricated in KBP in 1978, after which it was decided to organize its mass production at the same enterprise.
The cannon was designed to fire a common cartridge developed in the mid-1970s, which was supposed to be used in weapons operational with the Ground Forces, the Navy and the Air Force.
The cannon can deliver both single-shot and automatic fire at two rates: 300 or 550 rounds per minute.
Back plate. Designed to accommodate feed and feed change, electric safety release, and cocking handle lock mechanisms.
Barrel
Developer: Instrument Design Bureau
Place of creation: Russia, Tula
Adoption of a weapon: 1980
The functioning of action mechanism is based on the use of energy of propellant gases tapped through a hole in the barrel.
Barrel assembly Designed to fire a shot and ensure the functioning of an action mechanism.
Breech casing is designed to guide the moving breech block carrier and the barrel assembly, feed in the cartridge belt, as well as to house and connect cannon parts.
Muzzle brake
Caliber, mm
30,0
Overall length, cm
302,7
Weight, kg
115
Muzzle velocity, m/s
960
Electric trigger. Provides remote control of the trigger mechanism.
Release lever
Sear. Holds the slide frame in the rear position.
Breech piece. Holds the breech block locked on firing.
Barrel spring. Reduces recoil and is a buffer for the breech block carrier.
Breech block carrier is designed to actuate the mechanisms and discharge; consists of the carrier itself and the breech block.
Loading and reloading in case of delay can be carried out manually or remotely by pyrotechnic cartridges (combined in a cassette of three pieces).
The electric trigger is energized by 27 VDC.
Return spring
Ammunition may be fed from the left or right belt at the gunner’s choice.
Firing starts after the electric trigger releases the breech block carrier from the sear. Driven by the return spring, the carrier moves forward, ram the cartridge into the chamber, locks the bore and breaks the primer. The empty case is removed from the chamber when the carrier moves backwards, and the next cartridge is fed to the seating line.
The BMP-1 turret was equipped with the 73 mm 2A28 Grom smoothbore gun designed by Tula designer Vyacheslav I. Silin. Among other missions, the Grom was to destroy enemy tanks.
However, with the advent of tanks equipped with a new type of armor, the ammunition used by the gun proved to be ineffective for defeating them.
By the early 1970s, infantry fighting vehicles were seen as a means of defeating anti-tank artillery, infantry and lightly armored military equipment, including helicopters.
As a result of R&D activities, it was decided to equip a new infantry fighting vehicle, the BMP-2, with a 30 mm automatic cannon.
The choice fell on the design developed at the Tula-based Instrument Design Bureau under the supervision of Arkady G. Shipunov and Vasily P. Gryazev.
Arkady G. Shipunov
Vasily P. Gryazev
The decision to install a "tank" gun on helicopters instead of an aircraft gun made it possible to significantly increase their combat capabilities.
On the Mi-28N helicopter, the cannon was housed on a fixed flexible mount located under the bow of the helicopter.
The design of the Ka-50 and Ka-52 helicopters, as well as the weight of the cannon and recoil force during firing, prevented its installation in the same place as with the Mi-28N.
However, the Kamov specialists found a way out of the situation by mounting it on the right side of the helicopter body.
The limitation of the sector of fire caused by such location of the gun was compensated by the helicopter’s maneuverability.
In the 2A42, ammunition are fed from one or the other side from two ammunition boxes. Thus, the gunner may choose the required type of ammunition (armor-piercing or incendiary high-explosive fragmentation), depending on the target to be hit.
This design feature helped save the carried ammunition.
A high muzzle velocity ensures high accuracy of fire. The armor-piercing projectile penetrates 15 mm steel armor at an angle of 60° to the normal at a range of 1,500 m.
A long barrel life makes it possible to fire the entire ammunition load without intermediate cooling, which may be crucial in a combat situation.
The 2A42 cannon engages enemy vehicles equipped with light and medium armor at a distance of up to 4 kilometers!
Compared to the American M230 cannon, the weight of its projectile and muzzle velocity is almost twice as large, and, unlike its foreign counterpart, it has higher combat characteristics and is reliable under any conditions.
Since its adoption to date, the Tula-manufactured 2A42 gun has been one of the most powerful helicopter guns in the world!
Due to its design features and combat performance, the 2A42 gun, developed in Tula more than 40 years ago, is still widely used in the Russian Army. It is also in service with several states.
This weapon is a clear evidence of the Tula gunsmiths’ contribution to strengthening Russia’s defensive capabilities.
