25-mm/87 mk.38 (25 mm)

Description

The 25-mm/87 Mk.38 is an American autocannon found equipped on American vessels. It is a variant of the M242 Bushmaster chain gun, the weapon was intended to provide offensive or defense measures in close-range combat.

Vehicles equipped with this weapon

• USS Cyclone

General info

The 25-mm/87 Mk.38 is a rapid-firing autocannon that was designed for use by the United States Navy and has since been adopted by other navies around the world. It features a high rate of fire, excellent accuracy, and a range of up to 4,000 m, making it effective against both air and surface targets. The 25-mm/87 Mk.38 has seen extensive use in combat and has proven to be a reliable and effective weapon system.

The 25-mm/87 Mk.38 cannon is a chain-driven, electrically powered system that can fire up to 180 rounds per minute. It features a dual-feed system that allows for both armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds, giving it versatility against various targets. The cannon's lightweight and compact design make it easy to install on various naval vessels, including destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers.

Available ammunition

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Comparison with analogues

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Usage in battles

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Pros and cons

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Cons:

History

The 25 mm/87 Mk.38 is the US Navy variant of the M242 Bushmaster, an electrically fired "Chain Gun" developed for the United States Army. Seeking a replacement for the ageing Oerlikon 20 mm guns in US Navy service along with their Hispano-Suiza derived AN/M3 and M24 20 mm cannons. Called a chain gun for having a roller chain operate the bolt, the gun was approved for use by the Chief of Naval Operations in 1977 to replace these cannons. However, it would take a full decade before the Navy would evaluate them, with approval coming in 1987 when the Navy was assigned to ensure freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf as part of Operation Earnest Will. Under the direction of Naval Weapons Support Station Crane, the M242 was fitted to the Mark 88 single mounting to create the Mark 38. Used on all forms of US Navy ships, the manual training and lack of stabilisation created issues when mounted on smaller ships such as the USS Cyclone. The Navy thus upgraded the design to the Mk.38 Mod.2 which improved the interface, added an electro-optical sight, embedded trainer, and a compensator for the ship's roll.

Media

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See also

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• reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;
• references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.

External links

• [America's Navy] MK 38 - 25 mm Machine Gun System
• [Navweaps] 25 mm/87 Mark 38 Machine Gun System