In October 1989, McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (now The Boeing Company) announced that it was developing, as a private venture, a new range of weapons that capitalises on technology developed for the 25 mm M242 Chain Gun® cannon currently in service in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain and the US Army, Navy and Marine Corps.

The prototype of the 30 mm Bushmaster II automatic cannon was completed in mid-1989 and by October of that year it had fired over 500 rounds and was then demonstrated in Austria followed by a US Navy 2,000 round trial.

Some 70 per cent of the parts of the new 30 mm Bushmaster II weapon are identical to the current 25 mm M242 cannon and the gunner can select one of three rates of fire, with the maximum being 400 rds/min.

The 30 mm Bushmaster II fires standard US GAU-8 30x173 mm ammunition using a side-stripping link developed by The Boeing Company or, by changing the barrel, bolt and rear feedplate, British 30 x 170 mm RARDEN ammunition.

In 1994 the Norwegian Army selected the Hagglunds Vehicle Combat Vehicle 9030N armed with the The Boeing Company 30 mm Bushmaster II automatic cannon to meet its future requirements with first vehicles completed in 1995.

A total of 104 vehicles have been ordered (four preproduction and 100 production). Four 30 mm Bushmaster II automatic cannon have been supplied for prototypes of the US Marine Corps Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle.

This cannon in a Delco Defense Systems Operations two person turret has been installed on an Alvis Vehicles Warrior 2000 chassis for the Swiss Army trials which together with the CV 9030N has been evaluated by the Swiss Army.

In production for Hagglunds Vehicle Combat Vehicle 9030 ordered by Norway in 1994 with first production weapons delivered in 1995. Tested on Alvis Vehicles Warrior 2000.