The Briefing Room
General Category => Military/Defense News => Topic started by: rangerrebew on October 14, 2020, 12:11:48 pm
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Army Upgrading Medium Caliber Cannons, Ammo
10/9/2020
By Scott R. Gourley
While many U.S. combat vehicles are still armed with the 25mm Bushmaster, it’s estimated that more than 100 countries — including peer- and near-peer competitors — currently integrate cannons from 30mm-57mm that could potentially be used against U.S. armored and Stryker brigade combat teams.
Recognition of this evolving reality has been one contributing factor to several recent developments involving U.S. “medium caliber†cannon and ammunition systems.
One example can be seen in the Stryker “Dragoon†upgrade applied to 83 Infantry Carrier Vehicles in the Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Based on a March 2015 operational need statement, the modification features the introduction of a turreted 30x173mm XM813 cannon, a derivative of the Mk44 30mm cannon, to approximately half of the vehicles in the regiment’s rifle and scout platoons. The entire upgrade provides the ability to detect, identify and defeat a broader target set at greater ranges.
https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/10/9/army-upgrading-medium-caliber-cannons-ammo (https://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/articles/2020/10/9/army-upgrading-medium-caliber-cannons-ammo)