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Canadian Forces
Vehicle-Mounted Cannon — M242 25mm Chain Gun |
The M242 Chain Gun — Calling It What It Is ! [1]
Most automatic weapons operate using the propellant gases of their projectiles. The M242 is different
– its operating cycle (...load, fire, extract, eject...) is entirely mechanical, the
bolt’s action being driven by a chain.
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The Chain Gun’s chain
The M242’s chain is powered by an electric motor. There are many advantages to this arrangement. Stoppages are
minimized (a mis- fired round will simply be ejected at the end of the cycle). This electro-mechanical
drive also means that rates of fire from the Chain Gun can be carefully controlled from single shots to bursts
of 100rpm to 200rpm.
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CF Applications for the M242 — Coyote and LAV III
The 25mm Chain Gun forms the main armament of both the Coyote
‘recce’ vehicle and LAV III APC – these two vehicles being
fitted with the same Delco turret designed specifically for the M242 (and a coaxial C6 machinegun). The Delco turret has dual 25mm feeds allowing the most appropriate
ammunition types to be selected by the gunner. The 1,100kg M242 has an effective range of 2,000m and packs a
punch [2] despite its relatively small calibre. So far, Canada has purchased 787 M242 25mm Chain Guns,
all for use in ground vehicles.
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See also —
Coyote DFSV
for a discussion of the 25mm M242 as a Direct
Fire-Support weapon (replacing the
Cougars
with 76mm guns).
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[1] In US service the M242 is called the Bushmaster, ‘Chain Gun’ being a
generic term for Hughes-designed weapons of various calibres.
[2] US combat experience has shown that, with repeated strikes of armour-piercing rounds, the M242
is capable of defeating early-model Soviet tanks. Besides ground vehicles, US Chain Guns are also
turret-mounted on helicopters or pintle-mounted aboard US Navy ships.
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Photo Credits —
M242 side view, ammunition, and Delco turret: Stephen Priestley, other images: CF /
Department of National Defence
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DND 101 —
A Visual Guide to the Canadian Forces 2005 Edition |
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© Stephen Priestley
2001/2005 |
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