It is built by the Tulamashzavod Joint Stock Company and named after A. G. Shipunov [ru].

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

The 2A42 autocannon has also been used on the BMPT and Bumerang-BM, and on unmanned remote controlled weapon station turrets on the new Russian infantry fighting vehicles including the Kurganets-25, VPK-7829 Bumerang, and T-15 Armata.

Later a sub-caliber armour-piercing round was introduced, and today also countries other than Soviet Union/Russia manufacture 30x165 mm percussion-primed ammunition.

The main types of ammunition are summarized in the table below: Airburst munitions for Russian 30mm and 57mm autocannons are in development.