The US Marine Corps announced it intends to buy 30mm x 113mm chain guns to equip the heavy guns carrier variant of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) with a ground-based air defense (GBAD) capability.
The guns, which the service referred to as XM914E1, are manufactured by Northrop Grumman company Alliant Techsystems Operations. A contract for up to 300 chain guns is expected to be awarded in fiscal year 2021.
The service said the XM914E1 provided a readily available, non-developmental solution that can be integrated within the size, weight, and power parameters of the remote weapon station (RWS) on the JLTV. The XM914E1 is compatible with the MADIS Inc. 1 Command & Control (C2) software baseline and is capable of firing 30mm x 113mm caliber rounds, including self-destruct and proximity rounds.
The Marine Air Defense Integrated Future Weapons System (MADIS/FWS) is a future weapons system designed to modernize Low Altitude Air Defense Battalions (LAAD Bn), by providing increased capability and lethality. MADIS will consist of two variants.
MADIS Mk1 will include a counter aircraft and non-kinetic C-UAS capability, provided by a turret-launched Stinger missile, multi-functional EW capability, direct fire weapon, Electro Optical Infra-Red (EO/IR) optic, and a shoulder-fired Stinger missile for dismounted operations.
MADIS Mk2 includes a multi-function EW capability, 360-degree radar, direct fire weapon, EO/IR optic, and supporting C2 communications suite.
The heavy guns carrier is one of several variants of the air-transportable JLTV that Oshkosh Defense is delivering to the US armed forces. The company says it has delivered over 7,500 total vehicles to the US Army, US Marine Corps, US Air Force, and US Navy since the production contract was awarded in 2015. Oshkosh also has contracts for the delivery of the vehicles to Montenegro, Lithuania and Slovenia.
