At Eurosatory, Northrop Grumman showcased, although for now only in the form of a scale model, a C-UAV and air defence palletized turret armed with their XM913 dual-feed automatic cannon, chambered in 50×228 mm ‘Supershot’ (this is a ‘necked up’ version of the 35×228 mm cartridge).
This large weapon has been selected by the US Army to equip the new XM-30 IFV but can find other applications, particularly since Northrop Grumman says they are working on developing a guided ammunition for it, which would be highly useful for C-UAV/C-RAM employment.
The proposed palletized turret holds 400 ready rounds and is small enough to be easily moved by 4x4 tactical trucks (as in the model at the show) or airlifted inside a C-130 (at least a couple) or moved by a CHINOOK (presumably underslung).
A number of these turrets could help secure an airbase or other critical installation.
Northrop Grumman has not wanted to reveal any detail for the moment about the guided round they are working on, but they have noted that they will leverage much of the work already done to develop a guided 57 mm round for the US Navy.
The guided 57 mm shell is something the US Navy has been pursuing for some time, initially working alongside DARPA, to increase the capabilities of the BAE-Bofors MK-110 gun found on LCS and on the future frigates.
The guided 57 mm is, according to Northrop Grumman, “capable of continuous, multi-directional, in-flight maneuver to effectively guide the round to impact”. At sea, the guided shell is meant to cost-effectively defeat complex, fast, swarming threats, both in the air and on the surface, at greater ranges.
According to Northrop, much of the technology can be scaled down further to apply to the much smaller 50x228, bringing the same kind of capability on land.
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