GSh-30-2 (30 mm)

This page is about the Soviet autocannon GSh-30-2 (30 mm). For the other version, see GSh-30-2K (30 mm).

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

• Su-25
• Su-25K

Description

The 30 mm GSh-30-2K (Gryazev-Shipunov) is a Soviet dual barrel autocannon. It was introduced in Update "Drone Age" with the introduction of both the SU-25 and SU-25K.

General info

 Available ammunition

• Default: HEFI-T · APHE
• Universal: AP-T · HEFI-T · APHE · HEFI-T
• Ground targets: AP-T · APHE · APHE
• Air targets: APHE · HEFI-T · HEFI-T · HEFI-T

Penetration statistics
Belt	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
	10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
Default	47	46	39	32	26	21
Universal	62	60	51	42	35	29
Ground targets	62	60	51	42	35	29
Air targets	47	46	39	32	26	21

Comparison with analogues

• GAU-8/A Avenger (30mm): 30 mm American rotary cannon found on the A-10A Early and A-10A Late. Features higher fire rate and HVAP.
• GSh-6-30 (30 mm): A rotary cannon of the same calibre with 6 barrels and a higher rate of fire than the GSh-30-2.
• GSh-30-2K (30mm): A variant of the same cannon, featuring a slightly longer barrel, but slightly less RPMs (2,600 max).
• GAU-13/A (30mm): 30mm American rotary cannon found on the A-7D/E and the F-5E in a gunpod configuration.
• DEFA 552 and DEFA 554 (30mm): 30mm French autocannon. DEFA 554 has a higher fire rate.
• Akan m/75 (30mm): 30mm Swedish Autocannon which can be used for both air and ground attack.

Usage in battles

The one thing that it does the best is shatter enemies with its 30 mm shells and high rate of fire; not only this gun is devastating for aircraft or fellow helicopters, this gun is lethal to vehicles when being attacked top-down as well. But do keep in mind that Gast guns' high rate of fire also means you will deplete all the 250 rounds quickly, so do not be trigger happy with it.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Very high shell velocity, making long range shots easier
• Hitting power is great even single hit can be lethal for the target
• Access to APHE rounds, can destroy light and medium targets with a single burst

Cons:

• High rate of fire combined with quite low ammunition capacity, trigger discipline advised
• Does not have access to HVAP making it a bit tricky to pierce heavier armored targets in ground unlike the A-10.

History

After the successful GSh-23 was developed based on the decade-old Gast gun design, during early 1980s, the Soviet Ministry of Defense required the unification of calibre in tri-service autocannons. The design for GSh-23L was then enlarged to 30 mm calibre as the GSh-30-2 cannon, first used exclusively on the Su-25 "Frogfoot", and later the water-cooled -2K variant made into service with the introduction of the Mi-24P "Hind-F" gunship.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
• references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

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• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.