Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence selected Orbital ATK’s [OA] MK44 Bushmaster Chain Gun to arm the Lithuanian Army’s new Vilkas 8×8 infantry fighting vehicles, the company said Thursday.
Under the agreement, Orbital ATK will deliver the MK44 beginning in mid-2017.
After the contract is completed, the company will have supported the integration of 90 cannons into Israeli-based Rafael’s Samson MKII Remote Weapons Station. The station has a low-silhouette and ability to reload under armor inside the hull. Orbital ATK said the cannon’s increased firepower in addition to the weapons stations features will provide greater crew survivability and effectiveness compares to the country’s current infantry fighting vehicle fleet.
The MK44 will be delivered ready to use the Orbital ATK 30mm MK310 Programmable Air Bursting Munitions (PABM) which is used to defeat enemy targets in protected (defilade) positions. The PABM cartridges offer three settings: air-burst, point-detonate, and point-detonate with delay fuze, which can penetrate light armor vehicles and reinforced concrete walls, the company said.
The delay fuze setting allows a round to penetrate a wall or fortified structure before bursting on the other side.
Orbital ATK said the MK44 can also be upgunned to a 40mm configuration, which “provides future growth for the gun system to provide greater stand off and firepower to meet emerging threats.”
Dan Olson, vice president and general manager for the armament systems division of Orbital ATK’s defense systems group, highlighted almost 2,000 MK44s have been installed internationally.
“Our MK44 is sought after for its proven reliability and effectiveness by our allies fielding new systems or needing to upgrade existing platforms to meet growing threats. Our guns represent a commitment to working together with our nation and our allies to create and deliver superior armaments and services for those who defend their nation’s security,” he said in a statement.