GIAT 30
Encyclopedia
The GIAT 30 is a series of 30 mm cannon developed to replace the DEFA 550 series
weapons on French
military aircraft
.
Introduced in the late 1980s, the GIAT 30 is a revolver cannon
with electric ignition and automatic recocking. Unlike the DEFA cannon, the revolver chamber is electrically operated, rather than gas operated, improving both reliability and rate of fire.
Two versions of the GIAT 30 are offered :
Primarily intended for helicopter
use and offered in several fixed, podded, and turreted installations. It is 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) long and weighing 65 kg (143 lb) complete.
It is designed to fire the same ADEN/DEFA 30x113 rounds.
The projectile weights varying from 244 g (8.6 oz) for HEI to 270 g (9.5 oz) for APHEI-SD.
Typical muzzle velocity
is 810 m/s (2. 657 ft/s) with a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute.
Given its considerable recoil, it is typically used for single shots or controlled bursts rather than continuous fire. The 30 M781 is presently used on the Eurocopter Tiger
, and is also offered for naval use as part of the NARWHAL (NAval Remote Weapon High Accurate and Light) system.
Intended for fighter aircraft
such as the Dassault Rafale
.
It uses a new range of 30x150mm B ammunition in a variety of types. It has a muzzle velocity
of 1025 m/s. A selectable rate of fire allowing cyclic rates of 300, 600, 1,500, or 2,500 rounds per minute. It can fire continuous bursts or controlled 0.5 or 1 second bursts.
DEFA cannon
The DEFA cannon is a family of widely used French-made aircraft revolver cannons firing the standard 30 mm caliber NATO rounds.-Design history:...
weapons on French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
military aircraft
Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:...
.
Introduced in the late 1980s, the GIAT 30 is a revolver cannon
Revolver cannon
A revolver cannon is a type of autocannon commonly used as an aircraft gun. It uses a cylinder with multiple chambers, like those of a revolver handgun, to speed up the loading-firing-ejection cycle. Some examples are also power-driven, to further speed the loading process, but this is by no means...
with electric ignition and automatic recocking. Unlike the DEFA cannon, the revolver chamber is electrically operated, rather than gas operated, improving both reliability and rate of fire.
Two versions of the GIAT 30 are offered :
- The GIAT 30M 781
Primarily intended for helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
use and offered in several fixed, podded, and turreted installations. It is 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) long and weighing 65 kg (143 lb) complete.
It is designed to fire the same ADEN/DEFA 30x113 rounds.
The projectile weights varying from 244 g (8.6 oz) for HEI to 270 g (9.5 oz) for APHEI-SD.
Typical muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
is 810 m/s (2. 657 ft/s) with a rate of fire of 750 rounds per minute.
Given its considerable recoil, it is typically used for single shots or controlled bursts rather than continuous fire. The 30 M781 is presently used on the Eurocopter Tiger
Eurocopter Tiger
The Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter. In Germany it is known as the Tiger; in France and Spain it is called the Tigre.-Origins:...
, and is also offered for naval use as part of the NARWHAL (NAval Remote Weapon High Accurate and Light) system.
- The GIAT 30M 791
Intended for fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
such as the Dassault Rafale
Dassault Rafale
The Dassault Rafale is a French twin-engine delta-wing multi-role jet fighter aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation. Introduced in 2000, the Rafale is being produced both for land-based use with the French Air Force and for carrier-based operations with the French Navy...
.
It uses a new range of 30x150mm B ammunition in a variety of types. It has a muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity
Muzzle velocity is the speed a projectile has at the moment it leaves the muzzle of the gun. Muzzle velocities range from approximately to in black powder muskets , to more than in modern rifles with high-performance cartridges such as the .220 Swift and .204 Ruger, all the way to for tank guns...
of 1025 m/s. A selectable rate of fire allowing cyclic rates of 300, 600, 1,500, or 2,500 rounds per minute. It can fire continuous bursts or controlled 0.5 or 1 second bursts.