Description

30mm Specialized Ammunition – Overview

30mm rounds are used in autocannons mounted on infantry fighting vehicles, attack helicopters, aircraft, and naval platforms. They are designed for a variety of roles: anti-personnel, anti-armor, anti-aircraft, and structural damage.

These are high-velocity, high-impact munitions that deliver destructive payloads over medium-range distances with great precision.

From Left to Right – Ammunition Types in the Image

1. HEI-T

Label: HEI-T
Color Code: Yellow body with red bands

• Full Name: High-Explosive Incendiary Tracer

• Function:

  • Explodes on impact

  • Causes blast damage and starts fires

  • Includes tracer element for tracking projectile trajectory

• Use Case:

  • Against personnel, light vehicles, radar installations, aircraft

  • Common in air defense and infantry support roles

• Features:

  • Fuze: Point-detonating (instantaneous)

  • Fragmentation radius: 8–15 meters

  • Tracer visibility: up to 2 km

2. API-T

Label: API-T
Color Code: Yellow tip, black body

• Full Name: Armor-Piercing Incendiary Tracer

• Function:

  • Penetrates light armor

  • Incendiary effect ignites fuel or ammo inside targets

  • Tracer visible in flight

• Use Case:

  • Anti-light armor (APCs, vehicles)

  • Urban combat and counter-mobility roles

• Features:

  • Hardened steel core

  • Penetration capability: up to ~25–35 mm RHA at 500 m

  • Combined armor penetration and incendiary ignition

3. HEI (High-Explosive Incendiary)

Label: 30 mm HEI OTM828
Color Code: Yellow projectile with green band

• Full Name: High-Explosive Incendiary

• Function:

  • Delivers a strong explosive charge

  • Produces fragmentation and fire upon detonation

  • No tracer (or optional)

• Use Case:

  • Ideal for targeting infantry positions, unarmored vehicles, light cover

  • Can be used against rotary-wing aircraft and drones

• Features:

  • High-explosive fill (TNT, RDX, or similar)

  • Delayed or instantaneous impact fuse

  • Wide area effect; not dependent on direct hit

 Weapon Systems Using 30mm Ammo

• 2A42 / 2A72 autocannons (used in BMP-2, BTR-90, Mi-28, Ka-50)

• M230 Chain Gun (AH-64 Apache helicopter – 30×113B)

• Bushmaster II (used in AAVs, ACVs, CV90, etc. – 30×173)

• GAU-8/A Avenger (A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft – 30×173)

 Color Coding (General NATO/Russian)

• 🔴 Red band – Tracer

• 🟡 Yellow – High-Explosive

• ⚫ Black – Armor-Piercing

• 🟢 Green band – Practice or inert element (in some contexts)