AGS-30

AGS-30
AGS-30 at MAKS 2009
Type	Automatic grenade launcher
Place of origin	Russia
Service history
In service	1995-Present
Used by	See Users
Wars	Second Chechen War 2008 South Ossetia war Syrian Civil War[1][2][3] War in Donbass[4][5][6] Yemeni Civil War (2015-present) Saudi-led intervention in Yemen (2015-present)
Production history
Designer	KBP Instrument Design Bureau
Designed	1990
Manufacturer	ZID[7]
No. built	Main service grenade launcher in the Russian Armed Forces. Completely replaced complex AGS-17
Variants	AG-30M vehicle-mounted version
Specifications
Weight	16 kg unloaded
Length	1165 mm
Cartridge	30 x 29 grenade
Caliber	30 mm
Action	Blowback
Rate of fire	400 round/min
Muzzle velocity	185 m/s
Effective firing range	2100 m
Feed system	30 grenades belt
Sights	Adjustable telescopic sight, day-night sight, mechanical sight, portable radar

The AGS-30 Atlant^[8] is a Russian-designed automatic grenade launcher currently in production in the Russian Federation and in service with the Russian armed forces.

Description

Designed on the basis of AGS-17, the AGS-30 provides better mobility, longer range and better accuracy during firing. Significantly lighter than its previous version but far more advanced and powerful, the AGS-30 weighs 30 kg loaded, meaning it can be carried by one person. Using a specially designed GPD-30 grenade, recently put into serial production,^[9] the AGS-30 can engage targets at 2100m.^[10] Recoil is lessened with a much smoother grenade ejection mechanism. An adjustable SAG-30 tripod mount (GRAU index 6P17) is also included.

Development

After the dissolution of the USSR, Russia found itself in a difficult position in the First Chechen war. After the success of the AGS-17 in Afghanistan, the KBP Instrument Design Bureau immediately began work on the new grenade launcher. The Russian army needed a weapon that could easily flush militants out of their fortified building hideouts, levelling them in seconds. The new design proved to be reliable and lethal. Another improvement to the weapon is its ability to stay undetectable by the enemy - reduced sound when firing, reduced flash and the lightning speed of the grenade make the AGS-30 very hard to detect. It can be operated from almost everywhere - from attaching it to a window, to mud and grassy surfaces. Officially adopted in 2002.^[11] Adopted by the Russian Interior Ministry Troops.^[12]

Ammunition

The AGS-30 is fed from special belt drums that hold 30 linked rounds.^[13] Loaded belt drum weights about 14 kg. Spade grips are installed on a gun cradle integral to the tripod, instead of to the gun body; the trigger is located on the right spade grip, making firing more controlled and comfortable. The AGS-30 can only fire in full automatic modes. Standard sighting equipment is a 2.7X magnification PAG-17 optical sight.

AGS-30 uses standard VOG-17M, enhanced fragmentation VOG-30, VOG-30D^[14] and extented range GPD-30 grenades.^[15][16][17]

• VOG-17M (HE)
• IO-30 (HE)
• IO-30TP (Practice)
• VOG-30 (HE)
• VOG-30D (HE)
• VUS-30 (Smoke)
• GPD-30 (HE)

Users

•  Azerbaijan
•  Bangladesh
•  India^[18]
•  Macedonia^[19][20]
•  Namibia^[21]
•  Russian Federation
•  Saudi Arabia^[22]
•  Syria
•  North Korea^[23]

See also

The AGS-30 and 6P41 "Pecheneg" general purpose machine gun mounted on a GAZ-2975 "Tigr"

• AGS-17, the predecessor to the AGS-30.
• AGS‑40 Balkan, successor using caseless high-explosive 40mm 7P39 grenades.
  ^{[24][25][26][27]}
• UAG-40^[28]
• Mk 19 grenade launcher, similar weapon
• Daewoo Precision Industries K4
• Mk 47 Striker
• Type 87 grenade launcher
• Vektor Y3 AGL
• SB LAG 40
• HK GMG, similar weapon
• XM174 grenade launcher, similar weapon
• Milkor MGL, another South African 40 mm grenade launcher
• List of Russian weaponry
• Comparison of automatic grenade launchers

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to AGS-30.

External video

Video about AGS-30

• "AGS-30 Automatic Grenade Launcher System".
• "AGS-30 grenade launcher / machine gun (Russia)".