“Precision Mechanics Plant” Scientific-Technical Complex State Enterprise, which is part of Ukroboronprom, produced its thousandth ZTM-1 gun during its operation. ZTM-1 is installed on various models of Ukrainian light armored vehicles similar in its outlay design and performance capabilities to the 30mm 2A72 automatic cannon. The cannons are suitable for the installation on light AIFV platforms of various types, such as the BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicle, the BMD-2/3 airborne combat vehicles, and the BTR80/90 armored personnel carriers. The cannon is also in operation service with several foreign armies.
Cannon can perform single and automatic fire with armor-piercing and high-explosive fragmentation shells. The cannon can be operated both mechanically and remotely. ZTM-1 is designed for fights against lightly armored targets at distances up to 2000 m, anti-tank guided missile launchers, unarmored vehicles, and enemy manpower at distances up to 4000 m, as well as against air targets flying at low altitudes up to 2000 m at subsonic speeds and inclined range of up to 2500 m. The cannon can fire up to 330 rounds per minute with an initial projectile velocity of 960 m/s.
The weapons are controlled mechanically or remotely (in the latter case, using, again, an electric trigger). The cannons deliver high-explosive [HE] or armor-piercing rounds loaded from belt magazines stored in two ammunition boxes. Each of the automatic cannons is provided with up to 500 rounds of ready-use ammunition. The ZTM-family cannons can operate independently or as part of the general-purpose SHKVAL, remote weapons station mounted on AIFV platforms, in particular, the BMP-1U IFV and the BTR-3U APC. The guns are also suitable for installation on the BMD-1/2 ACV upgrades and other AIFV platforms designed by the Morozov Machine Design Bureau of Kharkiv.
“Precision Mechanics Plant” was founded in 1996 as a specialized enterprise for the development and production of artillery and small arms. The plant began producing 30-mm ZTM-1 and ZTM-2 automatic guns (Ukrainian designed equivalent of the Soviet-vintage 2A42) in the early 2000s. The range of applications for the ZTM-2 cannon additionally includes the helicopters Kamov Ka-50/52 and the Mikoyan Mi-28N. The ZTM cannons can be reconfigured for integration with combat platforms of other types. The cannons can operate in repetition-fire or automatic-fire modes using an electric trigger.
