“The AH-64 Apache is the Army’s heavy division/corps attack helicopter,” the YouTube caption informs. “The AH-64D Longbow remanufacture effort incorporates a millimeter wave fire control radar, radar frequency interferometer, fire-and-forget radar-guided HELLFIRE missile and cockpit management and digitization enhancements.” Not to mention . . .
the chopper’s 30mm M230E1 Chain Gun. According to wikipedia.org:
The M230 is mounted on the chin turret. It uses a 2 hp electric motor to fire 30 mm linkless ammunition at a rate of 625 (±25) rounds per minute. The practical rate of fire is about 300 rounds per minute with a 10-minute cooling period as the gun is air cooled.
The gun has a positive cook-off safety for open bolt clearing, and double ram prevention. Spent casings are ejected overboard through the bottom of the gun . . .
The M789 is typically used in the M230. Each round contains 21.5 g (0.76 oz) of explosive charge sealed in a shaped-charge liner. The liner collapses into an armor-piercing jet of metal that is capable of penetrating more than 2 inches of RHA.
Additionally, the shell is also designed to fragment upon impact. The lethal radius against unprotected, standing targets is about 10 ft (3.0 m) under optimum conditions. The M789 requires about 4 seconds to travel 1,000 m (3,300 ft). However, as the shell slows down, it takes over 18 seconds to cover 3,000 m (9,800 ft).
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