Defense companies demo 30mm chain gun on land vehicle

OSHKOSH, Wis., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Three defense companies have collaborated for a live-fire demonstration at Redstone Arsenal using a 30mm chain gun on an armored vehicle.

Oshkosh Defense said its standard Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, or MRAP, outfitted with a fire control remote weapons station from EOS, were paired with an advance version of Orbital ATK's M230LF 30mm lightweight automatic chain gun, which is used on Apache attack helicopters.

The demonstration was to show the viability of using an all-terrain military vehicle with a medium-caliber weapon system. The results showcased improved accuracy in mobile engagements and "improved lethality on the ATV using a multi-role, multi-target automatic gun combined with a 3-axis stabilized Remote Weapon Station," Oshkosh said.

"On the modern battlefield, it is critical to have optimal protected mobility and fully integrated weapon systems," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen, (Retired) John Urias, executive vice president of Oshkosh Corporation and president of Oshkosh Defense. "The Oshkosh M-ATV family of vehicles offers great design flexibility to meet a full range of mission requirements, protection levels, and weapon system integration capabilities."

Orbital ATK's 30mm M230LF Chain Gun is an improved version of the 30mm cannon used on Apache helicopters, enhanced for use of land and naval platforms. It features a drive motor and can fire as many as 200 rounds per minute.