page_title: M230 chain gun
section_title: Design
hierarchical_section_title: M230 chain gun / Design
context_page_description: The M230 Chain Gun is a 30 mm, single-barrel chain-driven autocannon, using external electrical power to cycle the weapon between shots. It was designed and manufactured originally by Hughes Helicopters in Culver City, California. The company was acquired by McDonnell Douglas Helicopters in 1985, which merged into Boeing Corporation in 1997. In 2002, it was sold again to Alliant Techsystems, which merged with Orbital Sciences Corporation in 2015 to form Orbital ATK and was, in turn, bought out by Northrop Grumman in 2018. As of 2019, it is produced by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.
caption: M789 HEDP 30 mm rounds being loaded into an AH-64D Longbow Apache in April 2007.
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