AK-630

Soviet built Tarantul I class missile boat.The AK-630 is a Russian fully automatic naval six-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar and television detection and tracking. The system's primary purpose is defense against anti-ship missiles, and other precision guided weapons. However it can also be employed against fixed/rotary wing aircraft, ships and other small craft, coastal targets, and floating mines.

It can be described as the Russian counterpart to the United States Phalanx CIWS.__NOTOC__

Development

The AK-630 CIWS is comprised of several members and sometimes the CADS-N-1 Kashtan system and its derivative are also included.

AK-630

The design of the AK-630 CIWS was initiated in 1963, with the first operational prototype completed in 1964. Trials of the complete system, including radar and controls went on until 1976 when the system was accepted for service.

AK-630M

During the deployment of the system, numerous problems that did not appear in trials were exposed in its application, and some modification of the original AK-630 was made to correct these problems, and in 1979, the new system was named as AK-630M and was accepted into service.

AK-306

A derivatives of AK-630M was developed for light craft and this system was named as AK-306. Externally, there was no difference between AK-306 and AK-630 guns, but internally instead of using the exhaust to power the automatics, the AK-306 (A-219) used electricity. This version also lacked radar control, being only optically guided, hence making it less of an anti-missile weapon and more of a surface-to-surface weapon, and the designation of the overall system is consequently changed from A-213-Vympel-A to A-219. The design started in 1974 and the system was accepted into service in 1980. When production completed in 1986, 125 systems entered service.

AK-630M1-2

In 1983 a decision was made to update the design and modify the AK-630 system to include a second gun mounted above the first. The AK-630M1-2 "Roy" was roughly the same size and weight allowing installation in existing AK-630 mounts. Though the system proved to be successful, the AK-630M1-2 Roy was not accepted for production due to the maturity of a combined missile and gun system, then designated the 3M87 Kortik, but later called Kashtan. The single example of AK-630M1-2 Roy remains installed on the P-44 (Pr. 206.6) missile boat.In July 2007 at IMDS-2007 a modernized version of the AK-630M1-2 was showcased by OAO AK Tulamashzavod under the new name "Duet". Visually "Duet" differs from "Roy" in having a new mount with a "stealthy" low RCS design compared with the more traditional rounded AK-630 mounts.

Description

The complete weapon system is called A-213-Vympel-A, which comprises the AK-630M Gun Mount, MR-123-02 Fire Control Radar System, and SP-521 Electrical-Optical Tracker. A single MP-123 radar system can simultaneously control two guns, either two 30 mm gun mounts, or two 57 mm gun mounts, or one 30 mm gun and one 57 mm gun. The radar system can engage aerial and surface targets at 4 km and 5 km respectively. The electro-optical system can detect MiG-21 sized aerial target 7 km away while torpedo boat sized surface targets can be detected at 70 km away. Features include surveillance and tracking modes, high jamming immunity, laser range finder and TV optical sight. It is in operation on almost all Russian Navy ships from fast attack boats to the Kirov Battlecruiser.

The gun mount is fully automated, however it can be remotely controlled by an operator from either the control console or via a remotely mounted gunsight. It has a higher firing rate than both the Goalkeeper and Phalanx (Block 1 and older) CIWS systems. Combined with the fact that they are often mounted in pairs, with as many as 4 pairs mounted on the larger ships, providing Russian ships with an effective point defence system. However like all Gatling gun-based CIWS they suffer from short engagement times and the need for multiple volleys to effectively eradicate a threat.

pecifications

* Gun: AO-18 six-barrel 30 mm Gatling gun.
* Weight: (Empty / with ammunition and control system)
** AK-630/630M: 1,850 kg (empty), 1,918 kg (with ammunition), 9,114 kg (with ammunition and control systems)
** AK-630M1-2: 2,500 kg (empty), 11,819 kg (with ammunition and control systems)
** AK-306: 1,100 kg (empty), 1, 630 kg (with ammunition and control systems)
* Elevation: -12 to +88 degrees at 50 degree/s
* Traverse: 360 degrees at 70 degree/s
* Muzzle velocity: 900 m/s (MPDS round).
* Rate of fire: 83 round/s (5000 round/min).
* Ammunition: Fixed (HE-FRAG, FRAG)
* Ammunition Stowage: A single below deck magazine
** AK-630/630M: 2,000 rounds
** AK-630M1-2: 4,000 rounds
** AK-306: 500 rounds
* Weapons range: Effective range with HE-FRAG (0.54 kg) shell, 4,000 m (4,375 yd)
* Search and track systems: A-213-Vympel-A, includes radar, optical, and TV control systems

References

* [http://www.cruiser-moskva.info/arms/ak630m.htm AK-630 on Russian Slava Class Cruiser (with photos)]
* [http://pvo.guns.ru/naval/roy.htm AK-630M1-2]