2A72 Russian 30mm Autocannon

2A72

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Basic Information

Name

2A72 Russian 30mm Autocannon

Designation

2A72

Alternate Designation

—

Equipment Type

—

Manufacturer

—

Date of Introduction

1987

Description

The 2A72 is a late Cold War-era 30mm autocannon of Soviet origin. It was developed as a less complex and lighter alternative to the widely used 2A42. Studies revealed that the 2A42 was virtually always used at the low rate of fire setting. By modifying and simplifying the 2A42 design it could be produced at a lower cost and be used for a wider range of applications. The 2A72 is used both as the main armament and as a coaxial weapon for the 100mm 2A70 low-pressure cannon. The 2A72 is a much-simplified design based on the 2A42 consisting of only 349 parts instead of 578. Unlike the 2A42 it is not gas operated but recoil-operated. Unlike the fixed barrel on the 2A42, the barrel moves rearward upon firing. A new design muzzle brake is used in order to retain enough recoil to cycle the weapon. Since the initial recoil impulse is lower the 2A72 can be fitted to lighter vehicles, such as the BTR-80A.

Variants

2A42 standard version.

2A72 lighter simplified variant with a lower number of parts, a longer barrel, and higher muzzle velocity, but also a lower rate of fire.

ABM-M30M3 remote Weapon Station made by Impulse-2, for Uran-9 or different armored vehicles.

ABM-M30M3 Vikhr another remote weapon station made by Impulse-2.

TRT-30 remote weapon station.

System

Alternate Designations 2A72; ZPT99 (Chinese production); ZTM-1 (Ukrainian production); KBA-2 (Ukrainian production)

Type Autocannon

Caliber 30 mm

Manufacturer KBP Instrument Design Bureau

Design The 2A72 is a much-simplified design based on the 2A42 consisting of only 349 parts instead of 578. Unlike the 2A42 it is not gas operated but recoil-operated. Unlike the fixed barrel on the 2A42, the barrel moves rearward upon firing. A new design muzzle brake is used in order to retain enough recoil to cycle the weapon. Since the initial recoil impulse is lower the 2A72 can be fitted to lighter vehicles, such as the BTR-80A.

Length Overall 3.006 m

Barrel Length 2.416 mm

Weight 84 kg

Action Recoil operated, electrically powered

Max Rate of Fire 330 rds/min

Firing Modes Single shot, 10-round burst, or automatic mode.

Loader Type Dual-belt feed

Fire on the Move Yes

Muzzle Velocity 960 - 970 m/s; 1.120 m/s with APDS

Maximum Elevation -5 deg

Minimum Elevation +60 deg

Traverse Range 360 deg

Traverse Right 180 deg

Traverse Left 180 deg

Maximum Effective Firing Range (Air Targets) 4 km

Maximum Effective Firing Range (Ground Targets) 2 km

Maximum Effective Firing Range (Light Armor Vehicles) 1.5 km

Feed System Belt fed, twin feed system, selectable feed

Platforms The 2A72 is mainly used as a coaxial weapon on the BMP-3 and as main armament for the BTR-80A. Other applications include the BMD-4 and various Chinese combat vehicles.

Ammunition (Option 1)

Name 3UBR8

Type 195 AP rounds

Caliber 30 mm

Cartridge 30 × 165

Muzzle Velocity 1,120 m/s

Basic Load INA

Penetrator Type tungsten alloy sub-calibre penetrator

Penetration can defeat 28 mm of RHA set at a 60° angle from a range of 1,000 m

Note The 2A42 fires 30x165 ammunition, a cartridge introduced in the 1970s in the Soviet Union to replace previous 30 mm autocannon cartridges. Other weapons using this size of cartridge case include the 2A38, 2A38M, and 2A72 autocannons for various vehicle, helicopter and air defence applications, as well as numerous single-, dual- and six-barrel naval and air force cannons. The 2A42, 2A38, 2A38M, and 2A72 fire percussion-primed ammunition; the naval and aerial cannons use electrical priming, and therefore their ammunition is not interchangeable with the land-based ammunition types, despite the same cartridge case size. Originally three basic types of ammunition were developed in the Soviet Union for the land-based weapons: high-explosive incendiary, high-explosive fragmentation with tracer, and an armour-piercing ballistic capped with tracer. Later a sub-caliber armour-piercing round was introduced, and today also countries other than Soviet Union/Russia manufacture 30 x 165 percussion-primed ammunition.

Ammunition (Option 2)

Name 3UOF8

Type 305 HE-type rounds

Caliber 30 mm

Cartridge 30 × 165

Muzzle Velocity 960 m/s

Basic Load INA ea

Lethal Radius 5.95 m2

Charge Type A-IX-2

Note A high-explosive incendiary round with A-670M nose fuze.The fuze produces a 0.15 millisecond delay on impact, and a self-destruct mechanism detonating the projectile after 7.5 to 14.5 seconds of flight (3900–5300 m distance from muzzle).

Image Sources

Notes https://old.weaponsystems.net/whttps://www.army-guide.com/eng/product3223.html; eaponsystem/II04%20-; https://weaponsystems.net/system/534-30mm+2A72%202A72.html; ;

Details

Country of Origin Russia

Category Guns

Air > Guns

Classification

Domain

Air & Air Defense

Equipment Status

Active

Operators (15)

Russia

South Korea

Ukraine

Azerbaijan

Cyprus

Indonesia

Iraq

Kuwait

Libya

Morocco

Nicaragua

Sri Lanka

Turkmenistan

United Arab Emirates

Venezuela

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