The GI 30 is a unique externally driven electro-mechanical cannon, utilizing a drum-cam to cycle the breech to chamber rounds and extract spent cartridges, thus minimizing gases in the confines of a turret and facilitate for controlled firing rate. DLS designed the GI 30 to fire link-less 30mm x 173 ammunition through a dual feeder – a world-first for this kind of weapon.

As a single-shot weapon, it is also unique for its sniper mode of operation. It is fired from a closed breech position, which offers more accurate fire due to no movement taking place immediately before the round is fired.

Another unique feature is that of ‘next round selection’. Having two feeders, with general ammunition on the right-hand and specialist types in the other feeder, the weapon allows the operator to select a specific round, without first firing off or ejecting an unwanted round.

Ammunition is replenished from the supply inside the turret.

With an eye on specific requirements laid down by the client (the South African Army), DLS designed the weapon with a 3-round burst-shoot mode at 60 rounds per minute, for both general and specialised ammunition. Empty cartridge shells are ejected to the left side of the weapon.

DLS have already fired approximately 1 000 rounds in the ADM (Advanced Development Model). The most recent trials took place at the Alkantpan Test Range in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province just before AAD2008. The weapon has fired SAPHEI, APFSDS (Armoured Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot) and TPT.

With its double baffle muzzle-brake, the GI 30 has a single recoil. In its application as envisaged in the SA Army, the weapon will have an effective range of 4000m.