A training exercise for a 30mm DS-30B naval cannon. In this case its on a UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel 12 years ago. Same weapon used on HMS Diamond - details below.
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Naval guns aren't mentioned much these days compared to naval missiles, but guns are still important on everything from small patrol boats to cruiser sized vessels.
The UK Defence Journal recently published a question formally asked in the UK parliament about the UK's air defence assets. This has confirmed an issue that was brought up by Navylookout.com in an after-action report of the Daring-class air defence destroyer HMS Diamond's engagement of Houthi UAVs, ASCMs and ASBMs in January 2024.
I've been curious about the resurgence of naval
guns as a counter UAV/USV weapon, especially as there are now proximity and
guided projectiles for 30mm, 40mm, 57mm, 76mm and 5-inch (127mm) naval guns. Cheaper smaller 30mm calibre gun ammunition is much more economical than expensive SAMs for knocking out small cheap swarms of UAVs and USVs.
Note that the British 4.5-inch (114mm) Mark 8 naval gun, which equips all RN frigates and destroyers, is not on this list, and confirms what Naval Lookout observed:
"4.5-inch Mk 8 gun is now really only useful in the Naval Gunfire Support role in relatively benign environments. The software support for its original limited anti-air capability was withdrawn some time ago as a cost-saving measure."
HMS Diamond has had to engage Houthi airborne
targets with its Sea Viper (48 Aster 30/15/1NT missiles). On April 24, 2024 it was HMS Diamond's Sea Viper system that was the first Sea Viper system to shoot down an ASBM (see final paragraph here). HMS Diamond's 2 x 30mm DS-30B cannon and 2 x 20mm Phalanx 1B close in
weapon system (CIWS), have also regularly been in use. They are mounted on the flanks of Daring-class Type 45 destroyers like HMS Diamond.
image: Seaforces.org. A 30mm DS-30B autocannon and 20mm Phalanx Block 1B aboard a Type 45 Daring class Destroyer --- |
The DS-30B is a stabilized Oerlikon KCB 30mm cannon with a pedestal-mounted 30mm automatic cannon that can fire proximity fused ammunition. Here is a report of 5 inch fused ammo for the USN as an example of this concept. The UK RN has not disclosed if it uses such fuse ammo.