This 30 mm 2A42 weapon is the main armament of the BMP-2 mechanised infantry fighting vehicle and has a long barrel with a muzzle brake.

The 30 mm 2A42 cannon has a dual feed; one would normally be for HE-T and the other for AP-T rounds, both with a muzzle velocity of 1,000 m/s. The gunner can select one of two rates of full automatic fire, low at 200 to 300 rds/min and high at 500 rds/min.

According to the manufacturer, effective range when engaging ground targets such as light armoured vehicles is 1,500 m while soft-skinned targets can be engaged out to 4,000 m. Air targets can be engaged flying at low altitudes of up to 2,000 m at subsonic speeds and up to a slant range of 2,500 m.

In addition to being installed in a two-man turret installed on the BMP-2 MICV, this gun is also installed in the BMD-2 airborne combat vehicle (one-man turret) and the BMD-3 airborne combat vehicle. The latter is believed to utilise the complete turret of the BMP-2.

The complete turret of the BMP-2 armed with the 30 mm 2A42 cannon is fitted to the GAZ-5923 (8 x 8) armoured personnel carrier which has been developed as a private venture. As of mid-1999, this vehicle, which is also referred to as the BTR-90, remained at the prototype stage.

More recently, the 30 mm 2A42 cannon has been installed in a new turret which has been fitted onto the roof of the BTR-T heavy armoured personnel carrier based on a much modified T-54/T-55 MBT chassis.

The design authority for the 30 mm 2A42 cannon is the KBP Instrument Design Bureau while the manufacturer is the Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company.

In production. Installed in BMP-2, BMD-2 and BMD-3, all of which have been built in production numbers and in prototype of BTR-90 (8 x 8) APC.