AGS-30
Russian automatic grenade launcher adopted in 2002.
The AGS-30 is a Russian automatic grenade launcher that remains in production and service with the Russian armed forces. It is based on the earlier AGS-17 design but offers improved mobility, greater effective range, and better firing accuracy. Weighing 30 kg when loaded, it is light enough for a single soldier to carry. The weapon uses a specially designed GPD-30 grenade to engage targets up to 2,100 meters away, and its recoil is reduced by a smoother grenade ejection system. It comes with an adjustable SAG-30 tripod mount (GRAU index 6P17).
Development began after the AGS-17 proved successful in Afghanistan, with the KBP Instrument Design Bureau tasked to create a weapon capable of flushing militants from fortified buildings. The new design was officially adopted in 2002 and later taken into service by the Russian Interior Ministry Troops.
The AGS-30 feeds from belt drums holding 29 linked rounds; a loaded drum weighs about 14 kg. Spade grips are mounted on a gun cradle attached to the tripod rather than directly on the gun body. The launcher fires only in fully automatic mode. Standard sighting equipment is a 2.7X magnification PAG-17 optical sight. It accepts several grenade types: VOG-17M (HE), IO-30 (HE), IO-30TP (practice), VOG-30 (HE), VOG-30D (HE), VUS-30 (smoke), and GPD-30 (HE).
A vehicle-mounted variant, the AG-30M, features an electric trigger mechanism. The AGS-30 is also used by other forces; an unlicensed copy is known as the SPL-30.
Quick Facts
- Is Ranged
- yes
- Origin
- Russia
- Designer
- KBP Instrument Design Bureau
- Manufacturer
- ZID
- Cartridge
- 30×29mm grenade · ru · 30×29 мм
- Design Date
- 1990
- Production Date
- since 1995
- Service
- 1995–present
- Wars
- Second Chechen War / 2008 South Ossetia war / Syrian Civil War / Russo-Ukrainian War / Yemeni Civil War (2015–present) / Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen / 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
- Caliber
- 30 mm
- Feed
- 29 grenade belt
- Action
- Blowback
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
After the success of the AGS-17 in Afghanistan, the KBP Instrument Design Bureau began work on a new grenade launcher. The Russian army needed a weapon that could easily flush militants out of their fortified building hideouts. The new design proved to be effective, and it was officially adopted in 2002, and was later adopted by the Russian Interior Ministry Troops. The AGS-30 uses a specially designed GPD-30 grenade to engage targets at 2100 m, and recoil is lessened with a smoother grenade ejection mechanism. Spade grips are installed on a gun cradle integral to the tripod, instead of to the gun body. The AGS-30 can only fire in fully automatic. Standard sighting equipment is a 2.7X magnification PAG-17 optical sight. The AGS-30 uses standard VOG-17M, enhanced fragmentation VOG-30, VOG-30D and extended range GPD-30 grenades, as well as IO-30, IO-30TP, and VUS-30 smoke grenades.
Reader's Guide
The AGS-30 represents a significant evolution from the AGS-17, addressing the need for a more mobile and accurate support weapon. Its reduced weight, at 30 kg loaded, allows it to be carried by one person, a notable improvement for infantry operations. The weapon's effectiveness in flushing militants from fortified buildings, as demonstrated during its development, solidified its adoption by both the Russian armed forces and the Interior Ministry Troops. The AGS-30's use of a variety of grenade types, including the extended-range GPD-30, gives it flexibility in engaging targets at distances up to 2100 m. The inclusion of an adjustable SAG-30 tripod mount and a 2.7X PAG-17 optical sight enhances its accuracy and stability. A vehicle-mounted variant, the AG-30M, with an electric trigger mechanism, extends its utility. The existence of an unlicensed copy, the SPL-30, indicates the design's influence beyond its original production. Overall, the AGS-30 remains a current production weapon, continuing the lineage of Russian automatic grenade launchers.
Did You Know?
- It can be carried by one person, weighing 30 kg loaded.
- The AGS-30 uses belt drums holding 29 linked rounds.
- A vehicle-mounted variant, the AG-30M, has an electric trigger mechanism.
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