Leonardo has multiple new guns. Seems they exclusively unveiled them to journos in a sex dungeon though, so we have to do some work to figure out what's what. We've got:- 20×102 GATLING20- 30×113 BLAZE30- 30×173 XGUNAll links in first reply.
Brief summary from an italian outlethttps://www.rid.it/shownews/6486/nuove-mitragliere-da-20-e-30-mm-da-leonardoLonger stuff in englishhttps://edrmagazine.eu/leonardo-details-its-30-mm-x-gun-and-announces-first-two-customershttps://edrmagazine.eu/leonardo-is-developing-two-new-medium-calibre-gunsDifferent blurb in english if you've got accesshttps://shephardmedia.com/news/naval-warfare/leonardo-fires-up-small-calibre-naval-gun-development-as-italy-nears-first-lionfish-x-gun-handoverRather than paste entire articles like an asshole, I'll just point out the gun and use the highest-resolution pics from the different outlets. X-Gun last because it's most of the images.
▶GATLING20TLDR: The three-barrel Gatling 20, as it is defined by Leonardo, will allow replacing the gun of US origin, produced by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, with a full ITAR-free weapon. This will not happen on the AW249 attack helicopter currently under development at Leonardo, the Italian Army contract including the original M-197, but the new Gatling 20 will be definitely part of the Leonardo offer on the export market.
>>61484170
▶BLAZE30TLDR: Designed to replace the Browning M2HB in many roles (including anti-drone) and on many vehicles (it can go on the naval LIONFISH ULTRALIGHT and on the land-based HITROLE Light).>[W]ork on the Blaze30 started only in late 2023, however as the new weapon exploits many elements developed for the X-Gun, Leonardo will be ready to take orders from 2025 on, delivery times from contract being similar to those for the Gatling20. Leonardo makes it clear that the approach has been totally different from competitors’ guns, as those were derivatives of weapons born for helicopter use, while the Blaze30 was developed starting from a blank sheet, the aim being to replace 12.7mm heavy machine guns on Lionfish or on HITROLE Light turrets increasing their firepower and effectiveness.Now with 100% fewer crossed-wires with the pics.
>>61484205
▶XGUNBest just to read the article on this one. Meaning https://edrmagazine.eu/leonardo-details-its-30-mm-x-gun-and-announces-first-two-customers
>The X-Gun can of course fire all 30×173 mm ammunition, however for the C-UAS role the MF-ABM (Multi Fragmentation-Air Burst Munition) under development by KNDS Ammo Italy (formerly Nexter Arrowtech) will be the ammo of choice.
Last pic other than the turrets where the gun might be installed (just read the article for those).
ok then
>>61484205>the aim being to replace 12.7mm heavy machine gunlollmao even
>Nobody wants to talk about gatling guns
>>61484205>Designed to replace the Browning M2HB in many roles>the BLAZE30 weighs 80 kg and has a maximum firing rate of 250 shots/minuteNot even close.
Sweet post man seriously
>>61484170>>61484200Overengineered bullshit>>61484212>>61484205Could be useful>>61484245>>61484238>>61484232>>61484226Overengineered bullshitAin’t gonna get anyone wanting to operate these weapons when maintenance will be beyond operator levelHerbed.
>>61486784Are you stupid, rotary guns are used in tons of aircraft and helicopters
>>61484238I wonder if EW could reprogram the fuse in-flight
>>61484205>>61485900>>61486753Funny seeing people seethe about this. I posted this year's ago. 50 is dead. It doesn't make sense anymore. It doesn't have the payload to penetrate APCs, sucks at frag and HE. 338 will replace it where weight matters and 30mm will replace it where it doesn't. It dead.
Hi desperate salesman from leonardo, which 30mm does it use and does it goes on pintle mount?
>>61484238>Fuse setter antenna >Muzzle speed trap AHEAD, my beloved...
>>61484205>TLDR: Designed to replace the Browning M2HB in many rolesThat's a tall order for an autocannon, good luck to them. I know the US has started moving towards using a M230 variant for the same role and I'm still not sure that's the right move.It's interesting to see that going from .50 to 30mm seems to be something the entire defense industry is moving towards though.
>>61490983People really, really, really want HE. The smallest caliber with a usable HE filler is 25 mm, however that round is volumetrically inefficient for a general-purpose round (as opposed to, say, a dedicated air defense one) due to the bottlenecked construction. So 30x113 (the old DEFA round, also used by the Apache's M230) has been chosen as the best compromise between size and power.
>>61484157>When the round hits this guy>and he blow up and die>LEONARDO
>>61488201>and 30mm will replace it where it doesn't.>replace 0.50 with round that has 400% more recoil and costs 25 times more.Well MIC would love last part, but no.
>>61484157Leonardo is selling guns to brown countries that for some reason don't want to buy Chinese knockoffs of Russian-made guns.
>>61492079I think the reasons are self evident.
>>61492079If I was President Dickbutt of Brownistan I'd probably think long and hard about buying anything Russian after seeing their recent performanceAnd then buy Russian anyways because I arrested the anti-corruption police for unpatriotic attitudes and want a new yacht
>>61492253>Marketing is like "Hey we got this line of guns to sell to ITAR restricted countries that for whatever reason can't/don't want to buy russian/Chinese gunsand the boss is like "I don't care just fucking do it!"
>>61491125I see you speak-a the ital
>>61486784>Herbed.Rude. I posted the new M2 thread too. >>61440695
>>61490983>I know the US has started moving towards using a M230 variant for the same role and I'm still not sure that's the right move.Until there's new manufacturing magic to improve 50 cal ammo, it's the only move.
>>61491261When a 30 mm HE-AB does the job of 20 .50 cal rounds, it makes sense to drop the lesser weapon in favor of the stronger. Especially when the cannon has a wider range of ammo choices.
>>61486642Because in this case it is nothing special. Pretty much an Italian made version of the M197. Maybe it features some improvements as on the XM301 (intended for the RAH-66 before the retarded decision to cancel that) and the the XM915 (intended for FARA before the retarded decision to cancel that). But the basics are all the same.
>>61497813>Because in this case it is nothing special.You know that's not the reason.
https://files.catbox.moe/b69xil.pdfMARLIN 30
>>61497554>When a 30 mm HE-AB does the job of 20 .50 cal roundsIs there comparative data on this? Like this https://ndiastorage.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/ndia/2008/psa_peo/Demella.pdf
