By Geoff Fein
Alliant Techsystems [ATK] is planning in 2008 to install its newest lightweight remotely operated 25mm chain gun on a variety of platforms, from Humvees to helicopters and small boats.
Additionally, the weapon system will be capable of firing airburst munitions, Brian Grace, an ATK spokesman, told Defense Daily.
ATK mounted its gun atop a Humvee using Recon Optical‘s Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station. The system is on display at the annual Association of the U.S. Army expo in Washington, D.C.
In mid-2008, the Lightweight 25mm (LW25) Bushmaster Chain Gun will be installed on Northrop Grumman‘s [NOC] riverine craft. The Joint Multi-Mission Expeditionary Craft (JMEC) is designed by Bellingham, Wash.-based Aluminum Chambered Boats (ACB). The 41-foot long craft is being designed and tested for potential use by the Navy’s riverine forces and for homeland security.
Also in 2008, ATK’s gun will be tested for use on Army helicopters. Grace said it can be door mounted in a Black Hawk and Chinook.
The LW25 features a dual-feed system with the ability to select between two different types of munitions, Grace said, including training and tactical ammunition. Additionally, the gun will be able to fire ATK’s airburst munition.
“It’s the only airburst ammunition type classified,” he said.
The munition leverages ATK’s turns count fuze technology used in the 30mm MK310 Programmable Airburst Munitions (PABM), currently under qualification by the Navy for use on the Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle.
Along with the increased lethality, the LW25 has high reliability. Grace noted the design enables the gun to have a Mean Rounds Between Stoppages (MRBS) in excess of 35,000 rounds. And the remote capability means crews can operate the weapon from protected spaces inside vehicles, making it well suited for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, he added.
ATK first test fired the LW25 earlier this summer.