Eyeing export orders, Northrop unveils counter-UAS Bushmaster M230LF dual-feed gun

BELFAST — Northrop Grumman has launched a new Bushmaster M230LF (Link Fed) dual-feed chain gun, designed to neutralize UAS and ground threats, with the manufacturer targeting export customers for future orders.

Integrated on a remote weapon system, the new 30x113mm medium caliber cannon can be equipped on 4×4, 6×6 or 8×8 land vehicles and allows operators to shift between ammunition types and target types, according to John McCollum, director of business development, guns operating unit, at Northrop Grumman.

He also shared that Northrop has developed a prototype of the new gun, completed a phase of “internal live firing” and plans on new live fire trials based off a 4×4 sized vehicle, “similar to a JLTV [Joint Light Tactical Vehicle]” type, in the “next six months.”

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The new gun, evolved from the US Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter chain gun, has reached Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL) maturity.

“What this canon allows us to do is to add the functionality to be able to address Group 1 and Group 2 UAVs, as well as seamlessly, still address the ground targets and have the anti-armor capability that we have in our current M230LF cannon,” McCollum told Breaking Defense. He noted the firing rate of the cannon is adjustable — a new feature compared to the single feed configuration, with an output of 50 to 200 shots per minute.

Group 1 and Group 2 unmanned aerial vehicles are at the lighter end of a five-level aircraft weight classification, with a maximum take off weight of up to 55 pounds, per DoD documents [PDF].

Despite Northrop debuting the product in advance of the AUSA trade show in Washington, DC, the US Army does not have a requirement for a dual feed gun, said McCollum. The US Army operates a 30mm single feed cannon under the Counter-UAS, Mobile, Low, Slow, Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System (M-LIDS) effort, led by prime contractor Leonardo DRS.

“But we’re seeing some current requirements come from Europe and other regions for” the capability. No live demonstrations have been planned yet for international customers as development continues.

In September, Northrop Grumman and Lithuania signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing the manufacturer to support local suppliers in the production of medium-caliber ammunition for Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).

Motivation for bringing the dual feed gun to market is linked to Northrop assessing the “UAV problem” for “several years” and determining that there’s “always going to be a place for a kinetic solution” to counter the aircraft, said McCollum.

“Layered defense is absolutely key, and there are other technologies that can be used … and really as that last line of defense from 1,000 meters and in. There are really no other solutions in the marketplace that can be as effective as a kinetic solution, such as this” M230LF dual-feed gun,” he said.

Customers interested in acquiring the gun, would need to first make sure they have a “heavy enough remote weapon station” to support it, said McCollum, “because it brings so much more capability than a 50 [caliber] remote weapon station.”

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