Aircraft & UAVs

M230 30 mm chain gun

Also known as
  • M230 Area Weapon System
  • M230 Bushmaster Chain Gun
  • 30x113 mm M230

The M230 30 mm chain gun is an externally powered 30x113 mm autocannon built around Apache helicopter fire support, later adapted into M230LF and XM914 ground counter-UAS variants. Northrop Grumman describes the aviation M230 as the original medium-caliber Chain Gun and the M230LF as a lightweight ground and sea-platform weapon; direct sources document Apache M230 fielding in Afghanistan, Iraq, Operation Inherent Resolve, Israeli Apache use in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War, and M230LF-based Slinger systems ordered for Ukraine.

M230 30 mm chain gun, 30 mm autocannon, Aircraft & UAVs
Image source: DVIDS Chain Gun Preparation

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
30 mm autocannon
Service note
Cold War / post-Cold War
Designer
Hughes / McDonnell Douglas

Specifications

Caliber
30x113 mm
Drive
Externally powered, electric drive
Rate of Fire
625 +/- 25 rounds per minute
Weight
59.5 kg
Effective Range
Up to 4,000 meters
Feed System
Linkless
Mount
AH-64 Apache nose turret
Variants

The record covers close M230LF/XM914 family members where sources identify them as part of the same 30x113 mm Bushmaster chain-gun line.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
M230LFLink-fed ground and sea-platform variant

Northrop Grumman says the M230LF brings 30 mm lethality to lightweight ground platforms and fires 30x113 mm ammunition, including proximity rounds for counter-small-UAS use.

Sources: Northrop Grumman 30x113mm Bushmaster Chain Guns

XM914U.S. Army M230LF variant

Northrop Grumman identifies XM914 as an M230LF variant adopted for IM-SHORAD and M-LIDS, while Army AL&T discusses XM914 ammunition work for those ground systems.

Sources: Northrop Grumman 30x113mm Bushmaster Chain Guns, Need for Speed

Carrier Platforms

The M230 is most closely associated with the AH-64 Apache, while development material and special-operations sources also place the chain gun family on armed Black Hawk DAP configurations.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, Twin-engine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAH-64 Apache attack helicopterAttack helicopter

Northrop Grumman's product page and Army gunnery coverage both tie the chain gun to the Apache's nose-mounted 30 mm weapon system.

Sources: Northrop Grumman M230 30mm Bushmaster Chain Gun, Maximum Impact: Apache 30mm Gunnery with the 10th Mountain Division

MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator, Special operations gunship helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsMH-60L Direct Action PenetratorSpecial operations gunship helicopter

Late-1980s M230 development material describes the LW30mm M230 as already in wide use on MH-60DAP Black Hawks, and the linked DAP record covers that armed special-operations helicopter configuration.

Sources: Development of a LW30mm M230 Percussion Prime Chain Gun

Ammunition Fired

Army ammunition documents tie the Apache M230 to a compact 30x113 mm cartridge family.

AmmunitionAmmunition typeFiring evidence
M789 high-explosive dual-purpose round, 30 mm high-explosive dual-purpose cartridge, MunitionsM789 high-explosive dual-purpose round30x113 mm HEDP combat cartridge

The Army's FY2007 supplemental ammunition book identifies M789 as the only qualified combat cartridge for the Apache helicopter's M230 chain gun and lists M788 as the matching target-practice round.

Sources: Army Procurement: Ammunition FY 2007 Supplemental

Ground Counter-UAS Mounts

M230LF/XM914 variants moved the chain-gun family from aircraft into vehicle-mounted counter-UAS systems.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Mobile LIDS (M-LIDS), Mobile counter-UAS system, Air DefenseMobile LIDS (M-LIDS)Mobile counter-UAS system

Northrop Grumman identifies XM914 as an M230LF variant adopted for M-LIDS, while Army AL&T describes XM914 ammunition work for M-LIDS and M-SHORAD ground systems.

Sources: Northrop Grumman 30x113mm Bushmaster Chain Guns, Need for Speed

30x113 Ammunition And Mounts

The M230 family is easiest to read as a 30x113 mm chain-gun line spanning the Apache nose turret, the M230LF/XM914 ground variant, and a small ammunition family. Army and manufacturer sources distinguish combat, training, and counter-UAS uses without treating every cartridge or mount as the same catalog item.

ItemRoleSupported context
M789 high-explosive dual-purpose round, 30 mm high-explosive dual-purpose cartridge, MunitionsM789 HEDPCombat cartridgeArmy FY2007 data identifies M789 as the only qualified combat cartridge for the Apache M230 and lists a $71.35 FY2007 unit cost.
M788 TPTarget-practice cartridgeArmy FY2007 data lists M788 as the M230 target-practice cartridge with an $18.12 FY2007 unit cost.
M230LF / XM914Link-fed ground variantNorthrop Grumman and Army AL&T connect the ground variant to M-LIDS, M-SHORAD, and counter-small-UAS ammunition work.
EOS SlingerCounter-drone gun mountEOS said its first Ukraine export systems used a lightweight 30 mm cannon configuration based on the M230LF and were ordered for U.S.-announced 30 mm gun trucks.

Sources: Army Procurement: Ammunition FY 2007 Supplemental; Northrop Grumman 30x113mm Bushmaster Chain Guns; Need for Speed; EOS confirms first Slinger exports to Ukraine.

Timeline

M230 30 mm chain gun Key Events

  1. Early Apache service

    The standard LW30mm M230 chain gun was already widely used with AH-64 Apaches and MH-60DAP Blackhawks by the early 1980s.

    Sources: Development of a LW30mm M230 Percussion Prime Chain Gun

  2. Percussion-prime tests

    The late-1980s M230 Percussion Prime program test-fired more than 4,000 rounds without incident during summer 1988 testing.

    Sources: Development of a LW30mm M230 Percussion Prime Chain Gun

  3. Northern Iraq Apache operations

    DVIDS documented AH-64D Apache armament crews adjusting a 30 mm M230 chain gun while sustaining air operations in northern Iraq.

    Sources: DVIDS Pass the Ammunition

  4. Erbil OIR standby

    A DVIDS image from Erbil, Iraq showed an AH-64 M230 loaded and on standby for air-support missions under Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.

    Sources: DVIDS Task Force Dragon Erbil Iraq

  5. Jalalabad mission preparation

    DVIDS photographed a Task Force Tigershark ground crew preparing an AH-64E Apache M230 chain gun for an Operation Freedom's Sentinel mission in Afghanistan.

    Sources: DVIDS Chain Gun Preparation

  6. Ukraine 30 mm gun-truck package

    The Defense Department announced counter-UAS 30 mm gun trucks for Ukraine; EOS later said the first Slinger systems for that package used the M230LF lightweight 30 mm cannon configuration.

    Sources: DOD Ukraine Security Assistance April 2023, EOS confirms first Slinger exports to Ukraine

  7. XM914 ammunition work

    Army AL&T described XM914 30 mm chain-gun ammunition work for ground systems including M-LIDS and M-SHORAD, with M789-derived XM1198 developed for anti-drone use.

    Sources: Need for Speed

  8. Fort Drum gunnery

    Army coverage of Apache 30mm gunnery at Fort Drum described the M230 Area Weapon System as a high-rate precision-fire gun and noted live-fire evaluation with engineers and crews.

    Sources: Maximum Impact: Apache 30mm Gunnery with the 10th Mountain Division

Media

M230 30 mm chain gun Videos

M230 30 mm chain gun Images

M230 30 mm chain gun, 30 mm autocannon, Aircraft & UAVs - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons AH-64Apache002.jpg
M230 30 mm chain gun, 30 mm autocannon, Aircraft & UAVs - view 2
Source: Wikimedia Commons AH-64D Apache Attack.jpg
M230 30 mm chain gun, 30 mm autocannon, Aircraft & UAVs - view 3
Source: DVIDS Chain Gun Preparation
M230 30 mm chain gun, 30 mm autocannon, Aircraft & UAVs - view 4
Source: DVIDS Chain Gun Preparation
M230 30 mm chain gun, 30 mm autocannon, Aircraft & UAVs - view 5
Source: DVIDS Chain Gun Preparation
Related Weapon Systems
M789 high-explosive dual-purpose round, 30 mm high-explosive dual-purpose cartridge, MunitionsMunitionsM789 high-explosive dual-purpose round30 mm high-explosive dual-purpose cartridgeThe M789 is a U.S. 30x113 mm high-explosive dual-purpose cartridge for the Apache helicopter's M230/AV-30 chain gun and SOCOM MH-60 Black Hawk gunship use. Army budget documents identify it as the Apache M230's qualified combat cartridge, with a shaped-charge liner for light-armor defeat and a steel projectile body for anti-personnel effects. The Army tied M789 replenishment to Operation Freedom's Sentinel combat expenditures in Afghanistan and later used the legacy cartridge as the baseline for Apache counter-UAS and proximity-ammunition testing.
AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, Twin-engine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAH-64 Apache attack helicopterTwin-engine attack helicopterThe AH-64 Apache is a U.S. twin-engine attack helicopter family designed by Hughes Helicopters and continued through McDonnell Douglas and Boeing production. Built around a two-person crew, nose-mounted sensors, a 30 mm chain gun, rockets, and guided missiles, it has direct source-backed combat use from Desert Storm and Iraq to Afghanistan, Sinai, Yemen, Gaza, Lebanon, anti-ISIS operations, and recent U.S. operations against Iran.
AGM-114 Hellfire missile family, Air-to-surface missile family, MunitionsMunitionsAGM-114 Hellfire missile familyAir-to-surface missile familyThe AGM-114 Hellfire is a U.S. precision missile family developed for helicopter anti-armor missions and later adapted across UAVs, gunships, ships, and special-purpose strike roles. Cataloged combat use spans Desert Storm Apache strikes, Operation Iraqi Freedom aviation engagements, counter-ISIS and counterterrorism drone operations, Israeli helicopter fire in 2023, Ukrainian counter-drone Tempest vehicles assessed with AGM-114L Longbow missiles, and the secretive AGM-114R9X kinetic variant reported in low-collateral targeted strikes.
AH-64E Apache attack helicopter, Twin-engine attack helicopter, Aircraft & UAVsAircraft & UAVsAH-64E Apache attack helicopterTwin-engine attack helicopterThe AH-64E Apache is Boeing's Echo-model Apache variant, developed from the AH-64D Block III remanufacture program and built around improved engines, sensors, networking, and a two-person attack-helicopter weapons station. Direct source-backed conflict records place AH-64E aircraft with U.S. Army units in Operation Inherent Resolve, the 2001 War in Afghanistan's Operation Freedom's Sentinel phase, and Operation Epic Fury during the 2020 United States-Iran Conflict.

Sources

Northrop Grumman M230 30mm Bushmaster Chain GunPublisher: Northrop Grumman | Note: Supports the M230's manufacturer background, Apache platform association, and technical specifications. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Northrop Grumman 30x113mm Bushmaster Chain GunsPublisher: Northrop Grumman | Note: Supports M230, M230LF, and XM914 family background, Apache aviation use, 30x113 mm ammunition context, M-LIDS/IM-SHORAD adoption, and counter-small-UAS proximity-ammunition context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01DVIDS Chain Gun PreparationPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: 2001 War in Afghanistan: fielded by U.S. Army AH-64E Apache crews during Operation Freedom's Sentinel; the image caption documents an M230 chain gun prepared for a mission at Jalalabad Airfield, Afghanistan, on April 25, 2017, and supports image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-01DVIDS Pass the AmmunitionPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: 2003 Iraq War: used by U.S. AH-64D Apache air and ground crews in northern Iraq; the image caption documents a 30 mm M230 chain gun being adjusted while the unit sustained air operations, and supports image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-01DVIDS Task Force Dragon Erbil IraqPublisher: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service | Note: Supports 2014 War Against the Islamic State direct conflict use under Operation Inherent Resolve: 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve: fielded by coalition AH-64 Apache units in Iraq; the image caption documents an AH-64 M230 loaded and ready for air-support missions in Erbil under CJTF-OIR, and supports image provenance. | Accessed: 2026-07-01EOS confirms first Slinger exports to UkrainePublisher: Electro Optic Systems | Note: 2014 Russia-Ukraine War: supplied to Ukraine in the M230LF-based Slinger counter-drone configuration; EOS says three systems were ordered for Ukraine's U.S.-announced 30 mm gun trucks with delivery through Northrop Grumman. | Accessed: 2026-07-01DOD Ukraine Security Assistance April 2023Publisher: U.S. Department of Defense | Note: Background on the April 2023 U.S. security-assistance package that announced counter-UAS 30 mm gun trucks for Ukraine. | Accessed: 2026-07-01IDF publishes footage of helicopter gunships hitting Hamas terroristsPublisher: The Times of Israel | Note: 2023 Israel-Hamas War: used by Israeli Air Force helicopter gunships against Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Soldier said killed by friendly fire from attack chopperPublisher: The Times of Israel | Note: 2023 Israel-Hamas War: used by an Apache combat helicopter dispatched to fire on Hamas gunmen during the war. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Wikimedia Commons AH-64Apache002.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing for an IAF AH-64 Apache Peten photo showing the M230 autocannon. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Wikimedia Commons M230 chain gun.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing for a close-up M230 chain gun photo on an Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache Longbow. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Wikimedia Commons AH-64D Apache Attack.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing for an Israeli Air Force AH-64D Apache photo used as gallery context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Development of a LW30mm M230 Percussion Prime Chain GunPublisher: NDIA | Note: Background on the M230 family: describes early Apache service, late-1980s percussion-prime development, and 1988 testing. | Accessed: 2026-06-26Need for SpeedPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Supports XM914 30 mm ammunition work for M-LIDS and M-SHORAD ground systems and M789-derived XM1198 anti-drone ammunition context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Maximum Impact: Apache 30mm Gunnery with the 10th Mountain DivisionPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Background on the AH-64 Apache's M230 Area Weapon System and September 24, 2025 live-fire gunnery at Fort Drum. | Accessed: 2026-06-26Army Procurement: Ammunition FY 2007 SupplementalPublisher: U.S. Army | Note: Background on the M788 target practice and M789 high-explosive dual-purpose cartridges for the M230, including FY2007 unit costs. | Accessed: 2026-06-26