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Navy Eyes Apache Helo's Guns for Use at Sea
Military.com ^ | April 17, 2012 | Matthew Cox

Posted on 04/18/2012 5:46:47 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki

Navy Eyes Apache Helo's Guns for Use at Sea

The Navy is looking at arming its patrol boats and helicopters with the same withering firepower carried aboard the Army’s AH-64 Apache gunship helicopters.

ATK Armament Systems has modified its venerable M230 30mm chain gun to give naval forces a more potent alternative to the .50 caliber machine gun.

For years, the Navy has admired the Apache’s powerful, nose-mounted 30mm cannon, but the Navy’s strict safety guidelines make the M230’s electrically-primed firing system unsafe for use aboard surface vessels.

As a potential solution, the Navy awarded ATK a contract roughly two years ago to develop a version of the M230 with a more traditional, percussion-primed system.

The new M230LF is still an electrically powered chain gun, capable of firing the potent 30mm ammunition at a rate of 200 rounds per minute.

“Everybody loves that high-explosive, dual-purpose round,” Lisa Brown, business development director for ATK’s Guns Segment, said April 16 at the Navy League’s Sea Air Space trade show. “The .50 caliber round probably shoots father, but the size bullet on the lightweight 30mm is much larger. … It would be perfect for a light patrol boat.”

The M230LF, which could also be mounted aboard the Navy’s Sea Hawk helicopters, features an improved recoil system and a 60-inch barrel for increased accuracy, according to Eric Rogers, a retired Marine Corps gunner who does business development for ATK’s Integrated Weapon Systems branch. The Apache’s 30mm cannon sports a 45-inch barrel.

The M230LF also has a linked-ammunition feeding system, similar to most machine guns. The Apache’s M230 has a link-less system that’s much more complex, Brown said.

“Ammunition has to be uploaded while the

(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ah64; cannon; m230; usn

British WAH-64 Apache

Photo: MOD, Crown Copyright

1 posted on 04/18/2012 5:46:57 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
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To: sukhoi-30mki
....M230 30mm chain gun...

30MM chain gun.... mmmmm.

2 posted on 04/18/2012 6:02:54 AM PDT by Rummyfan (Iraq: it's not about Iraq anymore, it's about the USA!)
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To: sukhoi-30mki
60-inch barrel for increased accuracy

This is probably not for accuracy but range. The M230 is so accurate it violates GEneva Convention as it can sniper hit a single solidier using a high caliber round. As a result it is operated with an electronicaly generated vibration for "fuzzy" area targeting. When that piece of electronic fails, it has to be changed because the machine is too accurate.

Yes, Political COrrectness is what increases war and military budgets.

3 posted on 04/18/2012 6:05:17 AM PDT by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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To: Rummyfan

Great! Now I maybe cab get one for my bass boat. Those darn mosquitos are really bothersome at times.


4 posted on 04/18/2012 6:06:17 AM PDT by hal ogen (1st Amendment or Reeducation Camp?)
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To: Rummyfan

More like a linked distribution system as opposed to the A10s linkless gat system, I believe.


5 posted on 04/18/2012 6:08:35 AM PDT by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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To: sukhoi-30mki

That would be great if it’s linked to a helmet so when the gunner looked at at a target, it was immediately targeted and lit up.


6 posted on 04/18/2012 6:12:22 AM PDT by meatloaf (Support House Bill 1380 to eliminate oil slavery.)
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To: JudgemAll
As a result it is operated with an electronicaly generated vibration for "fuzzy" area targeting.

Are... are you... serious?

7 posted on 04/18/2012 6:16:06 AM PDT by rarestia (It's time to water the Tree of Liberty.)
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To: rarestia

I work with a former Apache pilot who described it as some engineer’s solution for having too many rounds hit in the same spot. The idea isn’t some geneva convention restriction, but rather an attempt to saturate a whole area with rounds. Most of the users would rather have all the rounds hit where they aim them.


8 posted on 04/18/2012 6:25:25 AM PDT by USNBandit (sarcasm engaged at all times)
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To: hal ogen

Good for mowing down those pesky Asian carp


9 posted on 04/18/2012 6:34:06 AM PDT by PeaRidge
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To: rarestia

Yeah, it’s like when hunting and requiring someone to have a shot gun plugged or to shoot certain pellets only, the DNR requires people to follow stupid rules, some of which actually increase cruelty and suffering to animals despite being designed against such. Go figure.

The 30 mm bullets are explosive and deadly in like a 10-30 ft radius.


10 posted on 04/18/2012 6:34:51 AM PDT by JudgemAll (Democrats Fed. job-security Whorocracy & hate:hypocrites must be gay like us or be tested/crucified)
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To: sukhoi-30mki
I was under the impression the chain in chain gun referred to the link-less system..so mod to linked ammo makes it no longer a chain gun.....or it chain reference to gun gas vs electric drive?
11 posted on 04/18/2012 7:22:20 AM PDT by tophat9000 (American is Barack Oaken)
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To: PeaRidge

“Good for mowing down those pesky Asian carp”

Sounds like a great opportunity for water skeet shooting. ;-)


12 posted on 04/18/2012 8:06:48 AM PDT by almost done by half
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To: sukhoi-30mki

What???

HELO guns?? as in helicopter?

nevermind

13 posted on 04/18/2012 8:18:37 AM PDT by NY.SS-Bar9
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To: USNBandit
I work with a former Apache pilot who described it as some engineer’s solution for having too many rounds hit in the same spot. The idea isn’t some geneva convention restriction, but rather an attempt to saturate a whole area with rounds. Most of the users would rather have all the rounds hit where they aim them.

You would think that the engineer would give the gunner a switch to turn the feature off when not desired. Or have the first round go exactly where aimed, and as you hold down the trigger subsequent rounds go in an increasing pattern around point of aim.

14 posted on 04/18/2012 8:25:11 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. - George Orwell)
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To: Rummyfan
M230LF

If that designator sticks that weapon is going to be called "The MILF" by the squids in no time flat.
15 posted on 04/18/2012 8:28:06 AM PDT by Goldsborough
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To: sukhoi-30mki

It’d be nice if they would use the gun on the Somali Muzzies who are out on the high seas playing pirate.


16 posted on 04/18/2012 8:43:07 AM PDT by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
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To: tophat9000

Actually, “chain gun” refers to the system used to cycle the weapon. Instead of using blow-back or gas-operation to cycle the bolt, it used an external electric motor connected to the bolt with a chain similar to a bicycle chain. It has the advantage of continuous operation even if a round fails to fire. Another advantage is that it allows the operator to easily select the appropriate rate-of-fire. (Also, a chain gun shouldn’t be confused with a Gatling gun. Same principle and advantages, but a chain gun only requires a single barrel.)


17 posted on 04/18/2012 8:58:58 AM PDT by Jonah Hex ("To Serve Manatee" is a cookbook!)
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To: sukhoi-30mki
but the Navy’s strict safety guidelines make the M230’s electrically-primed firing system unsafe for use aboard surface vessels.

Something fishy here. Unless they use a different ammo variant than the aircraft M-61, the CIWS uses electrically fired ammo. Kind of doubt that, as I recall the percussion primers were too slow for the rate of fire.

18 posted on 04/18/2012 1:06:50 PM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: sukhoi-30mki
The Navy is already using the Bushmaster II 30mm Chain Gun as the Mk 44. This gun fires the same round as the A-10 Warthog — 30x173mm NATO. The Mk 44 guns are installed in the Mk 46 Mod 1 turrets that are found on LCS-1 and LCS-2, plus the LPD-17 class amphibs.

The M230LF is designed for less recoil than the Mk 44 gun so it could be installed in places where .50 caliber Brownings are used. I don't think this will work and the .50 is the better gun. They'd be better off using the 25mm Mk 38 Mod 2 remote controlled, E/O targeting setup already being procured.

19 posted on 04/19/2012 12:19:57 AM PDT by MasterGunner01 (11)
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To: almost done by half

“Sounds like a great opportunity for water skeet shooting. ;-)”

Yeah, and the idea for a new Discovery Channel series...kind of like “Sons of Guns” meets “River Monsters”.


20 posted on 04/19/2012 11:56:09 AM PDT by PeaRidge
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