M242 Bushmaster 25mm

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 3
At a glance
Powered by AI
The document provides information about the M242 Bushmaster 25mm cannon, including its development, variants, combat experience, and specifications.

The M242 Bushmaster Chain Gun is the principal light armored vehicle main armament for the US. It arms vehicles like the LAV-25, M2/M3 Bradley AFVs, and can be installed in turrets from other countries.

The M242 can fire M792 High-Explosive Incendiary with Tracer (HEI-T), M791 Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS-T), M793 Target Practice with Tracer (TP-T), and M910 TPDS-T projectiles.

M242 Bushmaster 25-mm Cannon

The M242 Bushmaster Chain Gun is the principal US light armored vehicle main armament. Although somewhat less powerful than the 30-40-mm cannon fitted in many light combat vehicles, the M242 has proven to be reliable and potent against many types of targets. The LAV-25 uses the Delco turret, and the M2/M3 Bradley AFV series vehicles use the TBAT-II. Several other turret designs can accommodate the M242, including Creusot-Loire T.25 (France), SAMM TTB 125 (France), Helio FVT 925 (Great Britain), Arrowpointe (Southfield, Michigan), Cadillac Gage (Warren, Michigan), ESCO TAT251 and TAT-252 (St. Louis, Missouri), and the FMC two man autocannon turret. The gun can fire M792 High-Explosive Incendiary with Tracer (HEI-T) and M758 Point Detonating SelfDestruct (PDSD) fuze, M791 Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS-T), M793 Target Practice with Tracer (TP-T), and M910 TPDS-T projectiles. DEVELOPMENT Contract awarded to Hughes Helicopters (since acquired by McDonnell Douglas) in February 1976, with the first prototype beginning tests in early 1977. The gun achieved initial operational capability in 1983. VARIANTS Mk 38 Sea Snake is an M242 carried in a Mk 88 gun mount and fitted in patrol craft and new construction amphibious and auxiliary ships as general-purpose, short-range armament. Bushmaster II is a 30-mm cannon under development; 70% of the parts are from the original Bushmaster. It fires standard GAU-8 ammunition, or RARDEN and KCB ammunition with modification. COMBAT EXPERIENCE The Bushmaster cannon was said to have been very effective against many types of soft and light armored targets during Operation Desert Storm's ground war in February 1991. Anecdotal reports even credited the M242 with knocking out some T-55 tanks with the APDS round. Nevertheless, some Army analysts were reported to be suggesting that the main gun be upgraded to 30- or 35-mm. SPECIFICATIONS FIRING WEIGHT 244 lb (110.5 kg), barrel 95 lb (43.0 kg) DIMENSIONS length overall 9 ft 1 in (2.76m), gun tube 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) width 12 in (330 mm) height 15 in (380 mm) EFFECTIVE RANGE more than 2,187 yd (2,000 m) against BMP-1 armored personnel carrier

MUZZLE VELOCITY APDS-T M791 4,412 fps (1,345 mps); HEI-T M792 3,609 fps (1,100 mps); API-T PGU/20 3,363fps (1,025 mps) RATE OF FIRE 100, 200, or 500 rounds/min, cyclic ROUND WEIGHT API-T PGU/20 18.8 OZ (533 g); HEI-T M792 17.7 oz (493 g); APDS-T M791 16.0 oz (454 g) with 3.7-oz (104.5-g) su-projectile

M242 Bushmaster

U. S. Army photograph Type Chain gun , dual feed. Place of origin United States Service history In service 1972present Used by See operators Production history Designer McDonnell Douglas Manufacturer Alliant Techsystems Number built 10,500+ Specifications Weight 119 kilograms (260 lb) Length 2,527 mm (99.5 in)[1] Barrel length Overall: 2,672 mm (105.2 in) Bore: 2,175 mm (85.6 in) Width 318 mm (12.5 in) Height 373 mm (14.7 in) Shell 25137 mm Caliber 25 millimetres (0.98 in) caliber Barrels Single barrel (progressive RH parabolic twist) Rate of fire Cyclic: 200rpm with 1hp or 500rpm with 8hp Muzzle velocity 1,100 metres per second (3,600 ft/s) Effective range 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) Maximum range 6,800 metres (22,300 ft)

You might also like