The AGS-30 is the modern Russian military 30mm automatic grenade launcher for fire support, superseding the Cold War-era AGS-17 "Plamya" ("Flame"). While the AGS-17 was an effective grenade projector for its time, it was a product of the period with origins in the 1970s and designed with the open-field warfare influenced by World War 2. However, by the 1990s, warfare had evolved to the contained urban conflicts seen today and the Soviet Union as a political and military power was no more. This gave rise to development of a new, indigenous modernized Russian automatic grenade projector which became the "AGS-30". Beyond its adoption by the Russian Army, the type has seen issuance in the militaries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh and India. India produces the weapon under license at its Ordnance Factory Tiruchirappalli facility.
The AGS-30 continues use of the Soviet-era 30x29mm grenade as well as reliance on a blowback system of operation but features a lighter (16kg unloaded), more compact design. It compares favorably to the larger-caliber (40mm) American Mk 19 series. The weapon is sighted through the standard PAG-17 adjustable sighting device. Feeding is through a 29-grenade belt housed in a hardened cassette drum fitted to the right side of the receiver. The weapon can reach out to effective ranges of 2,300 meters through a 400 round-per-minute, rate-of-fire. Spent casings are ejected through a large port along the left of the receiver. The barrel is rifled for accuracy while actuation of the weapon is through spade grips fitted on the weapon's mounting. The weapon can be fired from its standard-issue tripod mounting or affixed to a vehicle as needed. The operator can engage targets through direct or in-direct fire as the situation calls. Its lightweight design also makes relocation of the weapon by a single crew possible.
Design of the AGS-30 is attributed to the KBP Instrument Design Bureau which also handles its production. Over 500 of the weapon type have been produced to date (2013). The AGS-30 officially entered service in 1995 and has already seen field action with Russian forces through the Second Chechen War (1999-2000) and the South Ossetia War (2008).
Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; India; Iraq; Russia
(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Fire Support
Capable of suppressing enemy elements at range through direct or in-direct fire.
Empty Wgt
35.27 lb 16.00 kg
Sights
Adjustable Iron Sights; Optional Optics
Action
Blowback; Automatic Fire
Blowback Operation
Gas pressure from the rearward movement of the ignited cartridge case provides the needed bolt movement, ejecting the spent case and stripping a fresh case from the magazine.
(Material presented above is for historical and entertainment value and should not be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation - always consult official manufacturer sources for such information)
Caliber(s)*
30x29mm
Rounds / Feed
29-round belted drum magazine
*May not represent an exhuastive list; calibers are model-specific dependent, always consult official manufacturer sources. **Graphics not to actual size; not all cartridges may be represented visually; graphics intended for general reference only.
Max Eff.Range
7,544 ft (2,299 m | 2,515 yd)
Rate-of-Fire
400 rds/min
Muzzle Velocity
600 ft/sec (183 m/sec)
AGS-30 - Base Series Designation
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective campaigns / operations.
Images Gallery
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Image from official KBP Instrument Design Bureau marketing material.
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Armenia; Azerbaijan; Bangladesh; India; Iraq; Russia
