Mad Max of North Africa
The Russian 30 mm/63 AK-230 system dates from the 1950s and consists of an automatic, stabilized naval mounting containing two 30 mm (1.2″) liquid-cooled revolver cannons, with the automatics working from the power of the exhaust. Rate of fire is over 1,000 rounds per minute and when you consider the projectiles are 2.36-pound shells that fire an explosive round about the size of a Red Bull can, you understand how swag these are even if they are slightly dated when it comes to close-in weapons systems.
30 mm/63 AK-230 on Yugoslavian Kotor class Frigate Picture courtesy of Yugoslavian military magazine “Novi Glasnik” via navweaps
Well the Libyans have removed some of these from ships of their former Navy that are now, courtesy of NATO airstrikes, scrap metal settled on the seabed along their piers.
And at least two are in use Mad Max style as super-technicals
The single Natya-class minesweeper already sunk close to a year before due a lack of maintenance, but not before it was deprived of both of its AK-230 gun emplacements, which were subsequently installed on the Kamaz and Scania trucks.
To allow for easier access to the guns and munition, the turret was removed. The two 30mm NN-30 cannons are belt-fed, with each belt holding five-hundred rounds. Reloading the two cannons is extremely time-consuming, even for an experienced crew.
