Orbital ATK demos MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun

Orbital ATK has successfully demonstrated its MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun by firing a variety of both 30mm and 40mm ammunition during the company’s Bushmaster User Conference at Big Sandy Range, Arizona, the company announced on 27 June.

During the demonstration, the MK44 Chain Gun, mounted to a Kongsberg Protector Turret and General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armored Vehicle, engaged a variety of adobe, concrete block and steel panel targets in 30mm configuration using high-explosive incendiary ammunition.

Set up with Orbital ATK’s air-bursting munition fuze-setting equipment, the MK44 demonstrated the gun’s ability to precisely fire several rounds with point-bursting accuracy, both horizontally and vertically across the target.

Apart from the air-bursting capability, the company is developing other precision technologies for its medium-calibre ammunition, including proximity detonating and command guidance that are compatible with its medium-calibre cannons. The two new advanced capabilities will be demonstrated at the Bushmaster Users Conference in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun is available new as a 30mm or 40mm weapon. Following the completion of the 30mm demonstration, the system was upgunned in about an hour’s time and readied to fire 40mm ammunition. 

During the demonstration, the 40mm configuration showed the increased firepower that the 40mm cannon and ammunition were engaged against similar target panels.

The MK44 also fired newly developed 40mm Programmable Air Burst Munitions on a replicated target set in a combat-defilade position.

The company is developing and qualifying an entire Super 40mm family of ammunition to include Target Practice with Tracer, High Explosive Incendiary with Tracer and an Armor Penetrating Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot with Tracer round and the PABM.