Shipunov 30mm 2A42 automatic cannon | Шипунов 30мм 2А42 Автоматическая пушка

Machinery of War Discussion Ground Vehicle
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Overview

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The Shipunov 30mm 2A42 automatic cannon is a versatile, gas-operated, dual-feed weapon that has become a staple in Russian and Soviet military platforms. Designed in the late 1970s by the Tulamashzavod Design Bureau, under the leadership of Arkady Shipunov, this 30mm cannon was developed primarily for use on IFV/БМП, helicopters, and naval applications. It remains in use today, due to its robust construction and flexibility in combat roles.

Early Development:

The 2A42 was designed as part of an effort to improve Soviet firepower in the late 20th century. It was intended to replace older, less capable weapons like the 23mm 2A14 cannon & 73mm 2A28 Grom of the BMP-1. Its development was aimed at equipping the new BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, which entered service in 1980. The weapon was made to deliver substantial firepower against infantry, light armored vehicles, and low-flying aircraft.

Design Features:

  • Caliber: The cannon uses 30x165mm ammunition, with a choice between high-explosive incendiary, armor-piercing, and fragmentation rounds.
  • Dual-Feed System: The 2A42 features a dual-feed system, allowing the operator to select between two types of ammunition on the fly, providing tactical flexibility during combat.
  • Rate of Fire: It has selectable rates of fire—low (~200-300 rounds per minute) and high (~550-800 rounds per minute)—which makes it adaptable to various combat scenarios.
  • Effective Range: The effective range is around 2,500 meters against ground targets and up to 4,000 meters against aerial targets.

Service and Deployment:

  • BMP-2 and BMP-3 IFVs: The 2A42 first saw widespread deployment on the BMP-2 and later on the BMP-3. Its high versatility allowed it to be effective against lightly armored targets, buildings, and enemy infantry. The weapon became iconic as a standard IFV armament.
  • Ka-50/52 and Mi-28 Helicopters: The 2A42 was also integrated into attack helicopter gunships like the Kamov Ka-50/52 and Mil Mi-28, offering them potent anti-vehicle, anti-aircraft, and anti-personnel capabilities.
  • Naval and Other Ground Vehicles: Variants of the 2A42 have also been installed on naval craft and fixed installations, as well as other vehicles, enhancing its role in the broader military landscape.

Combat Experience:

The 2A42 has seen extensive combat use, starting with conflicts in the 1980s. It was employed during the Soviet-Afghan War and has since been used in various post-Soviet conflicts, including in Chechnya, Syria, and Ukraine. Its reliability, ease of maintenance, and effectiveness have made it a trusted weapon across numerous military platforms and in a variety of conditions.

Legacy:

The Shipunov 2A42 continues to be a highly respected weapon in Russian and other nations’ arsenals, proving its value as a versatile and enduring automatic cannon. Even after decades in service, it remains a key armament for modern infantry fighting vehicles and helicopters, contributing to its enduring legacy in global military history.

Statistics

General Information:

  • Caliber: 30 mm
  • Ammunition Type: 30×165 mm
    • Common rounds: High-explosive incendiary (HEI), Armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS), Armor-piercing incendiary (API), Armor-piercing discarding sabot, Fin-stabilized (APFSDS)
  • Weight: 115 kg (without feed system)
  • Length: 3,027 mm
  • Barrel Length: 2,416 mm (about 80 calibers)

Firing Characteristics:

  • Rate of Fire:
    • Low: 200–300 rounds per minute
    • High: 550–800 rounds per minute
  • Muzzle Velocity:
    • AP rounds: 960 m/s
    • HE rounds: 970 m/s
  • Effective Firing Range:
    • Against ground targets: 1,500–2,500 meters
    • Against aerial targets: up to 4,000 meters
  • Maximum Firing Range: 4,000 meters
  • Feed System: Dual-feed (selectable between two types of ammunition)
  • Possible issues: Excessive barrel shake/barrel whip when fired in High mode, which results in inaccurate sustained fire, therefore low fire mode is used for long range or precision engagements.

Other Specifications:

  • Recoil Force: 30 kN (kilonewtons)
  • Operation Mechanism: Gas-operated with a rotary bolt
  • Barrel Life: Approximately 6,000 rounds
  • Traverse Limits:
    • Dependent on mounting, commonly 360° when installed on turrets or helicopters.

Mounting Platforms:

  • Vehicles: BMP-2, BMP-3, BTR-90, BMD-2, BMD-3. (Notable through the Berezhok weapon system)
  • Helicopters: Ka-50/52, Mi-28
  • Naval Platforms: Used on some small naval vessels.

These specifications highlight the versatility and adaptability of the 2A42, which can engage various targets with first-rate firepower.

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yeah its a shame, they kill the accuracy advantage of the western autocannons.

western cannons literaly trade in speed for accuracy but the game doesnt care at all and makes russian fast firing ones as accurate as the slower western ones

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It’s also designed to disperse large amounts of HEI-F rounds to take out infantry, which is why it has 2 fire modes. The low-mode decreases barrel whip, and therefore has more accuracy.

I believe I did say something on it if I remember correctly.

@x_Shini ^^”

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i talked about the state of the game, nothing to do with your statements

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Oh, well, you did say that it was the opposite of Western ones, which, I do agree with you, it’s accuracy is way too much right now (for high mode), and western are too spread.

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the thing that annoys me the most is that at one point the bmp t terminator gets added with 2 of those guns. will fire both at the same time , which results in even more spread in reality but still will be pinpoint accurate

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Hopefully they will fix it, but I doubt it.

If the Russians were smart they would make the 2A42’s on the BMP-T in low mode alternate fire from port and starboard guns, so it’s still the same fire rate as a normal one in high, but way more accurate.

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if i remember right the bmpt originaly isnt supposed to realy fire at the same time,
but to fire one cannon then switch to the other to better manage the overheat

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Ahh, makes sense.

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The 2A42 cannon is historically a great cannon, sure but in game with most bmps if not all are using the full fire rate. In real life the full fire rate over heats very quickly. A way to balance the bmps would be to make the gun have a higher chance to “jam” or overheat if you fire constantly at the high fire rate. Since all they want to do is nerf the Bradley how abt nerf the bmps for ounce?? ( ps i agree with u)

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Gaijin: The Pumas Mk30-2 ABM is fire rate limited to 200rpm to maximize accuracy and prevent overheating during continuous fire, so we will not let it fire at 700rpm as the gun can do irl

Also gaijin: Gives the Mk30-2ABM the worst autocannon accuracy in-game “Teehee, get rekt germans”

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I thought the high fire rate was limited to the Skyranger, is it not?

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Which would have been a very easy fix for them, just to barely thicken the barrel and have it fluted.

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not sure if you watched the video, but it wasn’t firing at 550rpm, that was the accuracy in the low fire rate…

Also, even if it was firing at its high fire rate, that would still mean its wrongly too accurate in-game, as its used in the high fire rate mode in-game.

ALSO ALSO, the fact that its designed to have poor accuracy is not good justification for it having impeccable accuracy in-game.

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It can be switched, actually.

Yet again, high is made to put out a large volume of explosive/grenade rounds to deal with infantry and low is for more precise operations, using solid AP or APDS/FS.

Every other round is a tracer, it’s AP-T, then HEI-F, AP-T, and HEI-F again. That is unless it’s the dedicated Anti-Personelle/Aircraft belt, then it would be one AP-T, then 3 HEI-F rounds.

However, the real belts can be customized to the crews liking in real life

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the Mk30-2ABM is not the gun used on the Skyranger 30, it uses the Oerlikon KCA. They do look very similar from the outside though due to both having the programming muzzles.
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I didn’t know it had that high of a fire-rate, I thought it was limited to as it was in game now due to the limited ammo in the remote turret.

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my suggestion was for in game. Even if it was a “easy fix” irl doesn’t mean much at all. For example the Bradley, the ADATS uses the same gun so, all the crew would have to do is set the fire rate on the physical weapon itself, overriding the targeting systems and using the full fire rate. Even thought the crew could do this doesn’t mean it should be in game. I’m looking from a balance perspective. The bmps specifically the bmp 2m are to good for their br.

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Yeah, I personally have it in a solo lineup with the KA-50, to run at 11.0, and it’s a little bit of a monster if the enemies are clueless. Eventually will add the T-80UK on it too.

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600rpm, my bad. Afaik tho, its never used at that fire rate in the Puma. The sticking point for players isnt that its missing that mode though, its that the low fire rate is specifically to manage overheating and maximize accuracy, and in-game, the gun is incredibly inaccurate and overheats quickly…

This document from Rheinmatal (primary source) puts the accuracy of the Mk30-2ABM at <0.5mil, which means the rounds should have less than 0.5m dispersion out at 1000m. I believe theres sources that put it even lower than that, but despite all the evidence, gaijin still made it the least accurate autocannon in-game…

Getting kinda off topic tho, Im just always kind of annoyed when the 2A42 performs like the greatest 30mm ever made in WT when irl it has some glaring issues that if modelled in WT would make the BMP-2’s much less blatantly overpowered…

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