The Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30 is a Russian 30mm cannon used by Soviet and later CIS military aircraft.

The GSh-6-30, designed in the late 1970s, is a six-barreled Gatling gun similiar in design to the Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-23. Unlike American rotary cannons, it is gas-operated rather than electric, allowing it to "spin up" to maximum rate of fire more quickly, allowing more rounds to be placed on target in a short-duration burst. Ignition is electrical, as with the smaller GSh-6-23.

The GSh-6-30 fires a 30x165mm round with a hard-hitting 390 g (13.75 oz) projectile. With such a high rate of fire, it is a potentially devastating weapon, although its tactical usefulness is restricted by ammunition supply. The most common installation of this weapon has a 260-round magazine, which is enough for a maximum burst of less than three seconds. That limitation may be why the cannon has seen few aircraft applications.

The principal application for the GSh-6-30 is the MiG-27 'Flogger,' which carries the weapon in a gondola under the fuselage, primarily for strafing and ground attack. It was fitted to prototype Su-25T aircraft, but subsequently replaced with the GSh-30-2 twin-barreled cannon of the original Su-25.

Specifications

• Type: six-barrel rotary cannon
• Caliber: 30 mm (1.18 in)
• Operation: gas-operated, electrically fired
• Length: N/A
• Weight (complete): 149 kg (328.4 lb)
• Rate of fire: 6,000 rpm
• Muzzle velocity: 845 m/s (2,772 ft/s)
• Projectile weight: 390 g (13.75 oz)