Leonardo is developing two new medium calibre guns
Leonardo, the Italian defence industry champion, unveiled two new projects for medium calibre guns, one chambered for 30×113 ammunition while the second is a Gatling weapon firing 20×102 mm rounds
At the end of an in-depth presentation of its 30×173 mm X-Gun (a full report on that gun will follow soon), first shown last year at the Seafuture exhibition in La Spezia, Leonardo unveiled two new medium calibre (although company wording defines them small calibre) programmes, one being developed within the same timeframe of the X-Gun, while the work on the other one started in 2023. The development of such weapons is part of the company industrial strategy of vertical integration, which aims at putting on the market products entirely made by Leonardo divisions.
The presentation of the new products was provided during a meeting at the Brescia facility, the home of medium calibre land and naval systems, barrels and other mechanical components being produced in the La Spezia plant. The facility is part of the Defence Business Area, which belongs to the group Electronics Division.
The idea of a 20 mm Gatling gun was launched in late 2019, work starting in 2020, amid the COVID pandemic. In the past Leonardo developed the TM 197B heliborne light turreted gun, which equips Italian Army Aviation AW129 Mangusta and Turkish ATAK helicopters. 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. The form factor allows to fit the Leonardo gun into the TM 197B without modifications. The weapon declared mass is 71 kg, and it is powered by a 28 VDC source. The rate of fire is the same of the M197 used on Italian and Turkish helicopters, as it was the optimal compromise between firepower and accuracy, hence the newly designed weapon can shoot 750 20×102 mm linked rounds per minute ± 30 rpm, the chute ejecting cases from the bottom.
According to company sources, the Gatling 20, which exploits state-of-the-art technologies and materials, for example the housing is lighter and easier to manufacture, and overall, the weapon is easier to maintain. Leonardo engineers aimed at solving some mechanical issues adding for example a clutch to avoid issues with the feeder, while performances remain very similar to those of the existing 20 mm Gatling. The gun will be available for both electrically primed and percussion primed ammunition.
The Gatling 20 is currently considered at TRL 6, “but we will move very quickly to TRL 7,” Leonardo representatives stated showing the new weapon. During the factory tour a functioning model was visible, however EDR On-Line understood that the gun has already performed initial firing tests. The company will be ready to take orders before year end; first deliveries may take place two years after contract signature, and once production will be launched further contracts might see deliveries within 12-18 months.
As said, the work on the Blaze30, the new gun chambered for the 30×113 mm ammunition, 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 Gatling 20. 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 replace12.7 mm heavy machine guns on Lionfish or on HITROLE Light turrets increasing their firepower and effectiveness. As mentioned, the new weapon is heavily based on the X-Gun design, albeit in reduced dimensions considering the much lower chamber pressure of a 30×113 mm round compared to a 30×173 mm one. That Blaze30 mechanism is based on a drum cam, which gives the name to the X-Gun, as during the rotation we can see a cross; a 3D model of the drum cam in real size was visible during the visit to the facility. Of course, it is a scaled down version of that being at the core of the X-Gun, the 30×113 weapon having been defined as a “mini-X-Gun” by some engineers, the main difference apart the type of round being that it features a single feed. As in the bigger gun, the drum cam contains a 24 VCD powered brushless electric motor, which in a three turns rotation ensures all operations, feed, ram, dwell, and extract.
The Blaze30 maintains most of the features of the X-Gun; among these, thanks to the adoption of the brushless motor, it can be fired in the sniper mode, with the round chambered and the shooting process paused until the actual firing, which ensures maximum accuracy. The gun can be fitted with the fuse programming kit allowing the use of airburst munitions; EDR On-Line understood that
KNDS Ammo Italy S.p.A (formerly Nexter Arrowtech), which is developing a 30×173 mm airburst round for the X-Gun specifically designed for the counter-UAS role has already launched the development of a 30×113 mm round for similar use, fuse miniaturisation and lethality package being the main issue. The Blaze30 has a mass of 80 kg, is 2,100 mm long and has a 1,426 mm long barrel, it has a 250 ± 30 rounds per minute rate of fire, case ejection being lateral. The weapon is currently considered at TRL4.
Images courtesy Leonardo
