Right side view of GSh-301 autocannon with ammunition belt in place.
Source: www.aviationz.narod.ru -
© copyright lies with original owner
The GSh-301 is a modern Soviet single barrel autocannon with a high rate of fire. It arms the two most common types of Soviet multirole fighters, the MiG-29 and the larger Su-27. A unique feature is the low weight. Autocannon with similar caliber and firepower are often twice as heavy.
The GSh-301 was developed to be very light and have an instant high rate of fire. With modern fighter aircraft the engagement enveloppe often lasts only a fraction of a second. These features were achieved by using the short recoil mechanism and lightweight materials. In the West modern aircraft cannon are usually revolver or gatling type weapons.
The GSh-301 fires the 30x165mm round at a rate of fire of 1.500 to 1.800 rpm. In practice short bursts are fired. A 100 round continuous burst is said to destroy the barrel. Effective range is quoted as 200 to 800 m against aerial targets and 1.200 to 1.800 m against ground targets. Combined with a targeting computer and laser range finder accuracy is reported to be good.
The GSh-301 arms the two most common types of Soviet multirole fighters, the MiG-29 and Su-27. It is also used in the various aircraft derived from the Su-27, including the Su-30, Su-33, Su-34 and Su-35. A gun pod was designed around the GSh-301, but was produced only in very limited numbers.
Right side view of GSh-301 autocannon on display with ammunition belt in place.
Source: JNO -
© public domain
The GSh-301 is a single barrel autocannon operating on the short recoil principle. There are no variants of the GSh-301. The GSh-301 can be identified by the small gun housing, the feed mechanism located at the rear and ribbed barrel.
The German BK-27 is an autocannon with similar characteristics as the GSh-301.
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