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Mark 38 25 mm Machine Gun System
USS Gonzalez fires her starboard-side Mk 38 Mod 2.
Type	Naval gun turret with remote and/or manual control
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1986–present
Used by	See operators
Production history
Designer	Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (Mods 0–1) BAE Systems (Mods 2–3)
Manufacturer	Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center (Mods 0–1) BAE Systems (Mods 2–3)
Variants	4 (Mods 0–3)
Specifications
Mass	Gun: 109 kg (240 lbs) Turret: 1,042 kg (2,300 lbs) unloaded
Crew	1 (manual or remote control)
Shell	25 x 137 mm
Caliber	30 mm (1 inch)
Traverse	+/- 15° to +/- 165°, adjustable
Rate of fire	Semi, burst, or auto (up to 180 rpm (3 rps))
Muzzle velocity	APDS, APDS-T: 1,345 m/s (4,410 ft/s) HEI, HEI-T: 1,100 m/s (3,610 ft/s)
Effective firing range	2,500 meters (8,200 feet)
Maximum firing range	6,800 meters (22,300 feet)
Guidance system	Mods 0–1: Unstabilized, manually trained and elevated Mods 2–3: Stabilized, remotely operated, electro-optical sensor, fire control system, and auto-tracking; can also be manually controlled

The MK 38 is a 25 mm machine gun system (MGS) installed for ship self-defense to counter Fast Attack Crafts and Fast Inshore Attack Crafts.

The MK-38 is a 25-mm machine gun installed for ship self-defense to counter High Speed Maneuvering Surface Targets (HSMST).

The Mk 38 MGS is a low cost, stabilized self-defense weapon system that dramatically improves ships' self-defense capabilities in all weather conditions, day or night. Installed aboard 14 different classes of U.S. Navy ships and U.S. Coast Guard cutters, it is used extensively by the U.S. military as well as by NATO forces.

The Mk 38 Mod 3 Machine Gun System (MGS) is a low cost, stabilized self-defense weapon system that dramatically improves ships’ self-defense capabilities in all weather conditions, day or night designed by BAE Systems. In 1977, the U. S. Navy realized that it needed a replacement for the Oerlikon 20mm Mk 16 series of guns. In 1986, this requirement was satisfied with the introduction of the Mk 38 Mod 0 weapons system.

The Mk 38 is a single barrel, air cooled, 25mm heavy machine gun effective to 2,500 meters and intended for ship self-protection. This gun was employed aboard various US Navy's surface combatant, amphibious and auxiliary ships in the mid-east force escort operations, and during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The US Coast Guard also employs the Mk 38 gun on some patrol craft and cutters. The current Mk 38 Mod 1 gun is operated by a one man and the cannon is not stabilized. The Mk 38 Mod 2 model introduces a fully stabilized gun mount that can be fired remotely. The new gun mount of Mod 2 models includes on-board target acquisition and detection systems, and fire control systems.

Description

The 25mm Machine Gun System (MGS) Mk 38 is a 25mm automatic gun system that provides ownship with defensive and offensive gunfire capability for the engagement of a variety of surface targets. It is designed to provide close range defense against patrol boats, swimmers, floating mines, and various targets ashore including; enemy personnel, lightly armored vehicles and terrorist threats. One crewman is required for operation and two for maintenance.

The 25mm Machine Gun System (MGS) Mk-38 is a 25mm automatic gun system that provides ships with a defensive and offensive gunfire capability for the engagement of a variety of surface targets.

Also known as the "Bushmaster," this weapon is a navalized version of the "Chain Gun^®," an externally-powered weapon developed by Hughes for the US Army as the Mark 242. The name "Chain Gun" derives from the use of a loop of roller chain to drive the bolt back and forth. A single electric motor, located in the receiver group, powers all moving parts for the ammunition feeding, loading, firing, extraction and cartridge ejection operations. The weapon can be fired in both the single-shot mode and in automatic mode.

This system consists of the M242 auto-cannon and the Mk 88 machine gun mount. The M242 auto-cannon is an externally powered, dual-feed, single-barrel weapon which may be fired in semi-automatic or automatic modes. In the automatic mode, the rate of fire is approximately 175 rounds per minute. The M242 does not depend on gases for operation but instead utilizes an electric motor, located in the receiver, to drive all the moving parts inside the cannon. Ammunition feeding, loading and firing, extraction, and ejection are all done by the motor. The Mk 88 machine gun mount train and elevation is controlled manually by the gun operator. In the event of a major malfunction, the M242 auto-cannon can be removed from the mount and another auto-cannon installed in five minutes by two people.

The Mark 38 Machine Gun System (MGS) denotes the Mark 242 when mounted on the Mark 88 Single Mounting. The Mark 38 MGS was employed aboard various combatant and auxiliary ships in the Mid-East Force escort operations and during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The weapons are maintained in a rotatable pool, available for temporary installation on various deploying ships and permanent installation on certain amphibious and auxiliary ships, patrol craft and Coast Guard cutters. In the event of a major malfunction, the gun can be removed from the mount and another one installed in its place in five minutes by two people.

The Mk-38 guns are maintained in a rotatable pool, available for temporary installation on various deploying ships and permanent installation on certain amphibious and auxiliary ships, patrol craft and Coast Guard cutters.

As the Mark 88 is manually trained and lacks stabilization, target tracking is difficult when the MGS is used on a small combatant ship. For this reason, the Navy started a program to develop a low-cost, remotely controlled and stabilized version designated as the Mark 38 Mod 2. Improvements compared to the Mark 38 include an on-mount electro-optical sight, improved ammunition loading, improved man/machine interface, an embedded trainer and ship roll compensation. The new system also provides the capability to have two different ammunition types loaded and selecting between them from the remote console. The remote operator console is a 12-inch (30.5 cm) color LCD equipped with 12 soft keys. The picture on the computer screen is extremely clear, displaying a real-time, 360-degree, 7,000 - 8,000 yard (6,400 - 7,300 m) picture. In 2003, successful testing was conducted aboard the USS Decatur (DDG-73) and USS Howard (DDG-83). USS Princeton (CG-59) was the first ship to have this weapon system permanently installed. Tests on Princeton demonstrated a very robust capability during day and night tracking and firing on a high speed maneuvering surface target (HSMST). During the live fire against the HSMST, the system gained a kill of the target at more than twice the range of the current Mod 1 gun. Other tests have shown a two to three fold increase in Probability of Hit (POH) versus the Mod 1.

Due to the maximum elevation rate of 55 degrees the Mk-38 has only limited anti-air-warfare importance. Therefore, th Mk-38 is mainly used against surface targets like mines and boats.

Background

Also known as "Bushmaster," this weapon is a navalized version of the "Chain Gun," an externally-powered weapon developed by Hughes for the US Army as the Mk-242. The Mk-38 replaced the obsolete 20mm Mk-67 guns, which had high maintenance requirements. The Army's Mk-242 gun entered service in the 1970^th. The Navy's Mk-38 followed in 1988.

Since then, the Mk-38 was employed aboard various combatant and auxiliary ships in the Middle East Force escort operations and during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.

This gun had a long road to travel to gain acceptance onto USN ships. In 1977 the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) approved their use to replace aging 20 mm Mark 16 guns, which were difficult to maintain and did not use standard NATO ammunition. However, the gun was not operationally evaluated for naval use until the summer of 1987. Then, with the urgent need for such weapons in the Persian Gulf, production of this weapon was greatly accelerated. Much of the necessary work was done at Naval Weapons Support Center Crane which was responsible for the design of the Mark 88 mounting.

The Mk-38 was first employed aboard combatant and auxiliary ships conducting Mid-East Force escort operations and during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Mk-38 Mod.1s are maintained in a rotatable pool for temporary installation aboard deployed ships. Following the October 2000 attack on USS COLE (DDG 67), Task Force Hip Pocket identified an improved Mk-38 MGS as a means to increase shipboard self defense against small boat threats. In 2003, the Chief of Naval Operations documented the requirement and directed the development and fielding of the Mk-38 Mod 2. Installed aboard CG , DDG, FFG , LSD , LPD, LHD, LHA, LCC the Mk-38 Mod.2 MGS is a low cost, stabilized self defense weapon system that dramatically improves shipboard self defense.

The MK 38 was first employed aboard combatant and auxiliary ships conducting Mid-East Force escort operations and during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. MK 38 Mod 1s are maintained in a rotatable pool for temporary installation aboard deployed ships. Following the October 2000 attack on USS Cole (DDG 67), Task Force Hip Pocket identified an improved MK 38 Machine Gun System (MGS) as a means to increase shipboard self defense against small boat threats.

Rheinmetall AG has also adapted the M242 for a naval mounting designated as MLG 25.

The USN purchased a total of 243 guns between FY1986 and FY1992.

Upgrades

In 2004, United Defense received a $395.5 million contract to produce the Mark 38 Mod 2 weapon system. The contract runs through 2010 with the first eight units and spares to be delivered in 2004, 13 in 2005 and 67 in 2006.

In 2003, the Chief of Naval Operations documented the requirement and directed the development and fielding of the MK 38 Mod 2. Installed aboard CG, DDG, FFG, LSD, LPD, LHD, LHA, LCC, PC, OSV, and USCG FRC class ships and planned for installation aboard CVN, AS, and MK VI class ships, the MK 38 Mod 2 MGS is a low cost, stabilized self defense weapon system that dramatically improves ships' self-defense capabilities.

The Mark 96 Mod 0 is a two-axis stabilized mounting that contains both a 25 mm M242 chain gun and a 40 mm Mark 19 grenade machine gun. The system combines elements from the Mark 3 Mod 9 and Mark 38 gun mounts to provide a lightweight, low-cost solution to small-caliber gun requirements including a "man-in-the-loop" system for low-intensity combat situations. The operator sits on the mount, which moves to compensate for the pitch and roll of the ship.

On June 8, 2004, United Defense was awarded a $396 million contract for production, spare parts and engineering support of Mk 38 mod 2 machine gun system ordnance alteration program. The first modified Mk 38 mod 2 machine are scheduled for delivery in late 2004. United Defense will receive Mod 2 retrofit kit orders through 2010. On May 8, 2006, the US Navy awarded BAE Systems a new order for 67 Mk 38 Mod 2 guns to be installed aboard cruisers, destroyers and landing platform dock ships. This order was valued at $39 million from the $395 million production contract for the Mk 38 gun system. The US Navy sought to improve its ships' last defense layer through the acquisition of Mk 38 guns.

The Mk 38 Mod 2 Tactical Laser System is an advanced directed energy system demonstrator developed by BAE Systems and Boeing for the US Navy. It combines the 25mm machine gun from the Mk 38 gun system and a high energy laser weapon system to achieve enhanced surface ship defense. The solid-state high-energy laser weapon module is supplied by Boeing and is intended to hit surface and airborne threats such as small boats and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). The tactical laser system also provides the ability to deliver different levels of laser energy, depending on the target and mission objectives. The US Navy contract for the Mk 38 Mod 2 Tactical Laser System was awarded in March 2011 to BAE Systems and the agreement between Boeing and BAE Systems was announced in July the same year.

Recently, several US Navy platforms have been outfitted with a newer version, the Typhoon Weapon System designated Mk 38 Mod 2, which is remotely operated and includes an Electronic Optical Sight, Laser Range-Finder, FLIR, and a more reliable feeding system, enhancing the weapon system’s capabilities and accuracy. While the EO/IR sensor system is integrated with the Mod 3’s state-of-the-art fire control system, the Mk 38 Mod 3 is unique from other naval weapons because its surveillance system moves separately from the gun system, preventing adversaries from easily knowing they have been detected. Installed aboard 14 different classes of U.S. Navy ships and U.S. Coast Guard cutters, it is used extensively by the U.S. military as well as by NATO forces.

The Mark 38 Mod 3 is a new development program which has an updated multi-function display (MFD) and a new Control Console. Besides the 25 mm Bushmaster, an option for mounting a coaxial 7.62mm chain gun is available.

A major upgrade to the Mod 3 is the system’s advanced electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor which provides 330-degree surveillance capability and three fields of view. The superior optics allow sailors to monitor the seas and respond to threats even in extremely low light conditions with the benefits of a low contrast, low light level color day camera and an eye-safe laser range finder.

While the EO/IR sensor system is integrated with the Mod 3’s state-of-the-art fire control system, the Mk 38 Mod 3 is unique from other naval weapons because its surveillance system moves separately from the gun system, preventing adversaries from easily knowing they have been detected.

The Mk 38 Mod 3 also provides a range of 2.5 kilometers and selectable rates of fire from single to 180 rounds per minute, and fires all U.S. Navy-approved 25mm ammunition. It can be remotely operated from the combat information center or other protected ship structures, allowing operators to remain safe and out of harm’s way.

Operators

Installed aboard CG, CVN, DDG, LSD, LHD, LHA, LCC, MK VI, PC, OSV, AS and USCG FRC class ships and planned for installation aboard USCG OPC and WMEC class cutters, the MK 38 MGS is a low cost, stabilized self-defense weapon system that dramatically improves ships' self-defense capabilities.

The MK 38 MGS is intended for installation and operation on board the U.S. Navy AS, CG, CVN, DDG, LCC, LHA, LHD, LPD, LSD, OSV, PC class ships, MK VI Patrol Boats, and U.S. Coast Guard FRC, OPC, and WMEC 270' class ships.