25 mm caliber
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25 mm caliber is a range of autocannon ammunition. It includes the NATO standardized Swiss 25×137mm, the Swiss 25×184mm, the Soviet 25x218mmSR, and the Chinese 25×183mmB.
Usage[edit]
The 25 mm round can be used for anti-materiel or anti-personnel purposes. In the anti-personnel role, a 25 mm weapon armed with HE rounds can kill large numbers of opposing troops either in the open or in light fortifications. In the anti-materiel role, a 25 mm weapon armed with armor-piercing rounds can disable many types of aircraft and ground vehicles, including some main battle tanks.
The US military uses 25 mm weapons in their AV-8B Harrier, AC-130 gunship, M2 Bradley, LAV-25, F-35 Lightning II and as a standard ship-based munition in the Mk 38 autocannon.
Types of 25 mm ammunition[edit]
Several sub-types of the NATO 25 mm ammunition are available—the most common being armor-piercing, high-explosive, sabot, tracer, and practice rounds. Cartridges are usually composed of a combination of the aforementioned categories. For example, the M791 is an armor-piercing discarding sabot with tracer (APDS-T) round. It is used against lightly armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery, and aerial targets such as helicopters and slow-moving fixed-wing aircraft.
25 mm weapons[edit]
Current weapons[edit]
| Weapon | Country of origin | Designer | Cartridge | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oerlikon KBA |  Switzerland
|
Rheinmetall AG | 25×137mm | Autocannon |
| M242 Bushmaster |  United States
|
Hughes Helicopters | 25×137mm | Chain gun |
| GAU-12/22 Equalizer | United States
|
General Electric | 25×137mm | Rotary cannon |
| GIAT M811 |  France
|
GIAT Industries | 25×137mm | Autocannon |
| Oerlikon KBB | Switzerland
|
Rheinmetall AG | 25×184mm | Autocannon |
| Oerlikon KBD | Switzerland
|
Rheinmetall AG | 25×184mm | Autocannon |
| Type 61 |  China
|
25×218mmSR | Anti-aircraft autocannon | |
| Type 95 SPAAA | China
|
25×183mmB | Anti-aircraft autocannon | |
| ZPT-90 | China
|
25×183mmB | Autocannon |
Historical weapons[edit]
| Weapon | Country of origin | Designer | Cartridge | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-aircraft gun/Type 96 25 mm AT/AA gun | France
|
Hotchkiss et Cie | 25×163mm | Anti-aircraft autocannon |
| 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun | France
|
Hotchkiss et Cie | 25×193.5mmR | Anti-tank gun |
| 25 mm M1940 anti-aircraft gun |  Soviet Union
|
Mikhail Loginov and Lev Loktev | 25×218mmSR | Anti-tank gun |
| 25 mm Bofors M/32 anti-aircraft gun |  Sweden
|
Bofors | 25x205mmR (initial) or 25x187mmR (later) | Anti-aircraft autocannon |
See also[edit]
- 14.5×114mm
- 20 mm caliber
- 23 mm caliber
- 25 mm grenade
- 30 mm caliber
- List of cartridges (weaponry), pistol and rifle
Further reading[edit]
- U.S. Army Field Manual 3-22.1