Artillery

2A42 30 mm automatic cannon

Also known as
  • 2A42
  • 30 mm 2A42
  • Shipunov 2A42
  • 2A42 autocannon
  • 30 mm 2A42 autocannon
  • ZTM-2

The 2A42 is a Soviet-origin 30 mm autocannon developed in the 1970s for the BMP-2 and later fitted to airborne vehicles, armored platforms, and attack helicopters. Its dual-feed, selectable-rate design fires 30x165 mm ammunition, and direct reporting from the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War documents both Ukrainian and Russian improvised 2A42 battlefield installations.

2A42 30 mm automatic cannon, 30 mm automatic cannon, Artillery
Image source: File:2A42 - 30 mm autocanon in turret of BMP-2 IFV.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Soviet Union / Russia
Type
30 mm automatic cannon
Service note
Late Cold War to present
Designer
KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Designed
1970s
Produced
1980s-present

Specifications

Caliber
30x165 mm
Operation
Gas-operated, electrically powered, belt-fed twin-feed system
Rate of fire
200-300 rpm on low setting; 550-800 rpm on high setting
Muzzle velocity
960-970 m/s
Weight
115 kg overall; 38.5 kg barrel only
Length
3.027 m overall; 2.416 m barrel
Recoil force
30-50 kN in WeaponSystems.net data; Army Guide lists 4,000 kg
Effective range
1.5 km against armored vehicles; about 2 km against infantry, vehicles, and aircraft; 4 km slant range
Documented mounts
BMP-2, BMD-2, BMD-3, Mi-28, Ka-52, and other turret or vehicle installations
Variants

WeaponSystems.net treats the 2A42 itself as having no formal variants, but it identifies ZTM-2 as a Ukrainian-production designation and notes that the lighter 2A72 shares design features.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
2A72 30 mm automatic cannon, 30 mm dual-feed automatic cannon, Artillery2A72 30 mm automatic cannonRelated lighter 30 mm cannon

WeaponSystems.net says the newer lightweight 2A72 shares some design features with the 2A42, while treating the 2A42 as having no variants.

Sources: 30mm Shipunov 2A42

Carrier Platforms

The 2A42 is normally encountered as a vehicle or helicopter cannon rather than as a separate towed or crew-served weapon.

Firing weaponWeapon typeFiring evidence
BMP-2, Tracked amphibious infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesBMP-2Infantry fighting vehicle

WeaponSystems.net identifies the BMP-2 as the platform on which the 2A42 was introduced.

Sources: 30mm Shipunov 2A42

BMD-2, Airborne infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesBMD-2Airborne infantry fighting vehicle

WeaponSystems.net describes the BMD-2 as using a small turret with the 2A42 autocannon.

Sources: 30mm Shipunov 2A42

Mi-28, Attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsMi-28Attack helicopter

U.S. Army ODIN describes the Mi-28's 30 mm cannon fit, linking the helicopter to the 2A42 gun family.

Sources: Mi-28 (Havoc) Russian Attack Helicopter

Ka-52, Attack and reconnaissance helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsKa-52Attack helicopter

WeaponSystems.net identifies the Ka-52 installation as a 2A42 mount on the right side of the fuselage.

Sources: 30mm Shipunov 2A42

Ammunition Fired

The 2A42 is part of the Soviet-pattern 30x165 mm land-gun ammunition family.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
30x165 mm ammunition, 30x165 mm autocannon ammunition family, Munitions30x165 mm ammunitionAutocannon ammunition family

STV GROUP lists 30x165 mm ammunition for 2A42, 2A72, and 2A38-family automatic guns, including BMP-2 and BMD-2 platform compatibility.

Sources: Ammunition 30x165 mm - STV GROUP

30 mm x 165 HEI-T round, 30x165 mm high-explosive incendiary tracer cartridge, Munitions30 mm x 165 HEI-T roundHigh-explosive incendiary tracer cartridge

Yugoimport lists HE-T and HEI-T 30 mm x 165 ammunition for 2A42, 2A72, and 2A38M automatic guns.

Sources: 30 mm x 165 HE-T/HEI-T for 2A42, 2A72, 2A38M

Mounting And Feed Context

The 2A42's catalog role is shaped by the mount around it: standard armored-vehicle turrets, helicopter installations, and wartime improvised mounts use the same cannon in different tactical contexts.

ContextWhat sources supportReader note
Standard vehicle turretsArmy Guide and WeaponSystems.net tie the 2A42 to BMP-2, BMD-2, and BMD-3 installations, with dual-feed ammunition and selectable rates of fire.These are the normal catalog relationships for the cannon and explain why the gun appears through armored-vehicle records.
Helicopter installationsU.S. Army ODIN and WeaponSystems.net connect the 2A42 family to the Mi-28 and Ka-52 attack-helicopter fit.Helicopter carriage keeps the cannon in a powered mount rather than a standalone ground-weapon role.
Improvised wartime mountsArmy Recognition and Defense Express document 2A42-based Ukrainian and Russian field adaptations during the full-scale Russia-Ukraine War.Those reports support the conflict-use row, but they do not establish every BMP-2 or BMD-2 loss as a separate 2A42 use claim.
Timeline

2A42 30 mm automatic cannon Key Events

  1. 2A42 reaches operational service

    Deagel lists 1980 as the 2A42's initial operational capability, aligning the cannon with the late Cold War BMP-2 armament shift.

    Sources: 2A42 - Deagel

  2. Ukrainian BMP-1/BMD-2 hybrid documented

    Army Recognition reported a Ukrainian BMP-1 chassis fitted with a BMD-2 turret armed with the 30 mm 2A42 cannon during the full-scale Russia-Ukraine War.

    Sources: Ukraine Army BMP-1/BMD-2 2A42 Hybrid

  3. Russian D-44/48 carriage hybrid reported

    Defense Express reported a Russian field conversion that mounted a BMP-2 2A42 autocannon on a D-44/48 gun carriage, noting sighting and accuracy limitations.

    Sources: Russians Mount 2A42 Autocannon From BMP-2

Media

2A42 30 mm automatic cannon Images

2A42 30 mm automatic cannon, 30 mm automatic cannon, Artillery - view 1
Source: File:Autocanon 2A42 on the Mi28N heli.JPG
Related Weapon Systems
2A72 30 mm automatic cannon, 30 mm dual-feed automatic cannon, ArtilleryArtillery2A72 30 mm automatic cannon30 mm dual-feed automatic cannonThe 2A72 is a Russian 30x165 mm dual-feed automatic cannon designed by KBP Instrument Design Bureau and manufactured by Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company. It is a lighter, recoil-operated 2A42-family gun used as a coaxial cannon on BMP-3 and BMD-4M-type turrets and as the main weapon on 30 mm BTR-80A/BTR-82A installations, with direct open-source reporting tying BTR-82A 2A72 fire to fighting near Latakia during the 2011 Syrian Civil War.
30x165 mm ammunition, 30x165 mm autocannon ammunition family, MunitionsMunitions30x165 mm ammunition30x165 mm autocannon ammunition family30x165 mm ammunition is a Soviet-origin autocannon ammunition family marketed by STV GROUP, MSM Group, and Yugoimport SDPR for Soviet-pattern 30 mm automatic guns. STV lists the family for 2A38, 2A42, and 2A72 autocannons mounted on BMP-2, BMP-3, BMD-2, BMD-3, and BTR-80A platforms, with HE, HEI, HEI-T, HE-T, HE-SR-T, and AP-T variants. Conflict Armament Research also documented a single 30 x 165 mm cartridge ammunition item in its Iraq sample of Islamic State materiel, without identifying the specific round variant or firing platform.
2A14 23 mm cannon, 23 mm gas-operated autocannon, Air DefenseAir Defense2A14 23 mm cannon23 mm gas-operated autocannonThe 2A14 is the air-cooled 23 x 152B mm autocannon at the core of ZU-23 and ZU-23-2 short-range air-defense guns, with a quick-change barrel and a belt-feed layout that can be arranged from either side. Public conflict evidence most often documents it through the mounts that carry it: ZU-23-2 guns in Ukrainian service, SPLA-N air-defense fire in South Kordofan, Armenian and Artsakh losses in Nagorno-Karabakh, Houthi firing around Hudaydah, Tigray Defence Forces heavy weapons, and 2A14-pattern or ZU-23-2-pattern weapons with rebel forces in northern Mali.

Sources

30mm Shipunov 2A42Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports the 2A42's Soviet origin, development period, ZTM-2 designation, BMP-2/BMD-2/Mi-28/Ka-52 installation context, ammunition family, and general technical specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01BMP-2Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports the BMP-2 main-armament relationship and vehicle context for the 2A42 cannon. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Weaponsystems.net BMD-2Publisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports BMD-2 designations, 2A42 cannon context, and related airborne IFV background for the 2A42 family. | Accessed: 2026-06-30BMP-2 Infantry Fighting VehiclePublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports the BMP-2's 30 mm gun fit and vehicle-level technical background for the 2A42 record. | Accessed: 2026-06-30Mi-28 (Havoc) Russian Attack HelicopterPublisher: U.S. Army ODIN | Note: Supports the Mi-28's 30 mm cannon description and helicopter installation context for the 2A42 family. | Accessed: 2026-06-302A42 - Army GuidePublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports the 2A42's design authority, manufacturer, BMP-2/BMD-2/BMD-3 installation context, dual-feed arrangement, rate of fire, muzzle velocity, length, recoil force, and effective range. | Accessed: 2026-07-012A42 - DeagelPublisher: Deagel | Note: Supports 1980 initial operational capability, KBP contractor context, 2A42 roles against ground and low-flying targets, platform integration, and selected specifications. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Ammunition 30x165 mm - STV GROUPPublisher: STV GROUP | Note: Supports 30x165 mm ammunition compatibility with the 2A42, 2A72, and 2A38-family automatic guns and the linked ammunition-family relationship. | Accessed: 2026-07-0130 mm x 165 HE-T/HEI-T for 2A42, 2A72, 2A38MPublisher: Yugoimport-SDPR | Note: Supports HE-T and HEI-T cartridge compatibility with 2A42, 2A72, and 2A38M automatic guns. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Ukraine Army BMP-1/BMD-2 2A42 HybridPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Directly supports the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War row by reporting a Ukrainian BMP-1 chassis fitted with a BMD-2 turret armed with a 30 mm 2A42 cannon. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Russians Mount 2A42 Autocannon From BMP-2Publisher: Defense Express | Note: Directly supports the 2014 Russia-Ukraine War row by reporting a Russian improvised D-44/48 carriage mount using a 30 mm 2A42 autocannon from a BMP-2. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File:2A42 - 30 mm autocanon in turret of BMP-2 IFV.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the BMP-2 turret photograph used on this page. | Accessed: 2026-06-30File:Autocanon 2A42 on the Mi28N heli.JPGPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing for the Mi-28N 2A42 close-up used in the gallery. | Accessed: 2026-07-01