The U.S. Department of Defense said Thursday that Northrop Grumman won a contract with a maximum ceiling of $81 million for the delivery of up to 300 XM914E1 30mm x 113mm chain guns for the Marine Corps.
The contract award from Marine Corps Systems Command enables the company to provide XM914E1 guns, spares, training, and associated engineering services in support of the Program Manager Ground-Based Air Defense — Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) Increment 1 program.
The XM914E1 (30x113mm) weapon system is a single feed, automatic, with a percussion primed firing pin chain driven weapon system. The XM914E1 weapon system is capable of firing single-shot and 200 spm bursts with included anti-hangfire protection. It can be used on vehicle-mounted remote weapon stations for several types of combat vehicles.
According to Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, the MADIS is the Marine Corps’ new push for modernizing its Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) capabilities. It is part of the Corps’ plan to upgrade their two active Low Altitude Air Defense (LAAD) battalions, which currently rely on dismounted Stinger missiles and radar equipment transported in two M1114 HMMWVs per section.
The MADIS system relies on two vehicles per section working in a complementary pair, the MADIS Mk1 and Mk2. The MADIS Mk1 will be responsible for primarily neutralizing fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The Mk2 will fulfill the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) mission, while also providing radar and C2 for the pair.
The new guns will use to equip turret of combat vehicles in MADIS Mk1 variant. The 30mm cannon will be the main direct fire weapon on the turret.