The 30 mm seven-barrel cannon the A-10 Thunderbolt II was designed around
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Calibre | 30 x 173 mm |
| Barrels | Seven |
| Rate of fire | 3,900 rounds per minute (originally selectable 2,100 or 4,200) |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,013 m/s with armour-piercing incendiary |
| Gun weight | 620 lb (280 kg) |
| Complete system with full drum | 4,029 lb (1,828 kg) |
| Magazine | 1,174 rounds capacity; 1,150 typical load |
| Time to empty the drum | About 18 seconds of continuous fire |
| Average recoil force | 10,000 lbf (45 kN) |
| Each TF34 engine | 9,065 lbf (40.3 kN) of thrust |
| Accuracy | 80% of rounds inside a 40 ft circle at 4,000 ft |
| Share of A-10 empty weight | About 16% |
| Range | Rolled homogeneous armour defeated |
|---|---|
| 300 m | 76 mm |
| 600 m | 69 mm |
| 800 m | 64 mm |
| 1,000 m | 59 mm |
| 1,220 m | 55 mm |
Penetration figures are against BHN-300 rolled homogeneous armour at an attack angle of 30 degrees from vertical. Sources: National Museum of the United States Air Force; Hill Air Force Base factsheet; Federation of American Scientists; General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems; Dennis R. Jenkins, Fairchild-Republic A/OA-10 Warthog; Michael Spick, The Great Book of Modern Warplanes.