How heavy of armor will an M230 Chain Gun penetrate?

Question

I know the M230 can engage enemy soldiers, light and possibly medium armor, and other aircraft but what else can an M230 effectively destroy? Can it destroy heavy armor such as a T-55, T-62, or T-72 Tank?

Answer 1

Re:previous post the M230 is the 30mm chain gun on an AH-64 Apache

Answer 2

An M230 might be able to stop a main battle tank, knock out the tracks or the engine if it gets a lucky shot from the right position, but not very likely that it will destroy one. The M230 does have an armour piercing round, but, like you said, light armor. Infantry fighting vehicles and the like are probably the heaviest it could take on and reasonably destroy. If you got concentrate firepower, you could possibly knock out a T-55 or T-62, but the T-72 is one of the better tanks the Soviets ever built, so the best you could hope for is to immoblise one. That gun was designed to support infantry, not take out tanks.

Answer 3

I've never even heard of an M230 chain gun, but thats not to say they dont exist. Is that the gun on the new AAAV? I know that the M242 is the main gun on both the Bradley and the USMC's LAV-25, and that gun will not defeat any tank armor. The M242 fires both high explosive HE and armor piercing AP rounds. The HE may knock off some tracks or disable a radio, but you need to call somebody else to kill a tank. LAV's and Bradleys have TOW missile capabilities that will get the job done, but chain guns are made for bunkers, trucks, and lighter skinned vehicles like BMP's, BTR's, and BRDM's. There is, however, a round designed out there that's fin stabilized and made of depleted uranium that is rumored to kill tanks, but it's supposed to tear apart the rifling of a barrell, and the ammo boxes on LAV's aren't sealed as the rounds are hazardous. Im sure the Army can carry them with all their fancy gear, but us Jarheads had to use our heads and not rely on technology, hope I was helpful.

Answer 4

M230 Chain Gun

Answer 5

30mm Chain Gun