Kalashnikov Concern, part of Rostec, has delivered another major batch of 30mm GSh-301 automatic aircraft cannons to the Russian Defense Ministry. The weapons are intended for combat aircraft operated by the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Production of the final batch under the current contract has already begun. The manufacturer plans to complete the remaining deliveries by the end of 2026 within the deadlines set by the agreement.

The GSh-301 is used by Russian combat aviation in the special military operation zone. It is part of the standard armament of MiG-29, MiG-29K/KUB, Su-27, Su-30 and Su-35 fighters, as well as Su-34 frontline bombers.

Among pilots, the cannon is informally known as the «ballerina," a nickname associated with its low weight combined with a high rate of fire. The weapon was developed by Vasily Gryazev and Arkady Shipunov of the Tula Instrument Design Bureau. Military experts rank the GSh-301 among the best aircraft cannons in its class.

Despite intensive combat use, the customer has not filed a single complaint about the guns. Kalashnikov says annual production volumes are increasing several times over. The concern remains Russia’s only manufacturer of aircraft cannons in this class and says it is prepared to further expand output for state requirements.

Serial production of the GSh-301 began at the Izhevsk Machine-Building Plant in 1983. The enterprise is now part of Kalashnikov Concern. The single-barrel cannon marked an important step in aircraft armament development through the use of a short-recoil operating system. This design reduced the weapon’s weight to about 50 kg while retaining substantial firepower.

Further development of the system resulted in the modernized 9A1-4071K aircraft cannon, which is installed on modern aviation platforms.

The GSh-301 is designed to destroy personnel, lightly armored vehicles, surface vessels, aircraft, helicopters and drones. A video previously captured a Ukrainian FP-1 drone being destroyed by cannon fire from a Su-30SM.

The weapon has a caliber of 30mm and a firing rate of up to 1,800 rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity reaches 860 meters per second. The cannon can penetrate up to 40mm of armor at distances of 500–800 meters, while its barrel life is rated at 2,000 rounds.

The GSh-301 uses dual-sided belt feeding and liquid cooling to protect the system from overheating during sustained fire. Fire control is electrical and remote. Effective range is 200–800 meters against aerial targets and 1,200–1,800 meters against ground targets.

Its ammunition load includes high-explosive fragmentation incendiary and armor-piercing tracer rounds. In-flight operation is simplified by an electro-pyrotechnic reloading system and an ammunition counter showing the number of rounds remaining.