The Rheinmetall Mk 20 Rh-202 (short for ''Maschinenkanone 20 mm Rheinmetall'') is a

20 mm caliber 20 mm caliber is a specific size of popular autocannon ammunition. The dividing line between smaller-caliber weapons, commonly called "guns", from larger-caliber "cannons" (e.g. machine gun vs. autocannon), is conventionally taken to be the 20 m ...

autocannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a automatic firearm, fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary ammunition, incendiary shell (projectile), shells, ...

designed and produced by

Rheinmetall Rheinmetall AG () is a German automotive and arms manufacturer, headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was promoted to the DAX, Germany's leading stock market index, in March 2023. It is the largest German and fifth largest Europe ...

. It fires the 20×139mm ammunition originally developed for the Hispano-Suiza HS.820. The cannon is used on German military vehicles, including the Marder

infantry fighting vehicle An infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle (MICV), is a type of armoured fighting vehicle and armoured personnel carrier used to carry infantry into battle and provide direct fire, direct-fire suppo ...

, the Spähpanzer Luchs and some variants of the

Wiesel AWC The Wiesel Armoured Weapons Carrier (AWC; ) is a German light air-transportable armoured fighting vehicle, more specifically a lightly armoured weapons carrier, produced by Rheinmetall. The Wiesel has been used in several of the Bundeswehr's mis ...

. It is used in the Argentinian VCTP, an IFV based on the TAM chassis. A towed twin mount

antiaircraft Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...

version was produced and used by Argentina in the

Falklands War The Falklands War () was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and Falkland Islands Dependenci ...

. German naval ships also employed Rh 202 mounts, usually two on

frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...

s and

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

s, four on larger replenishment ships. They have been or are currently being replaced with the new

Mauser Mauser, originally the Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik, was a German arms manufacturer. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols was produced beginning in the 1870s for the German armed forces. In the late 19th and ...

, now a subsidiary of Rheinmetall, MLG 27 remote-controlled guns of 27 mm calibre. A version modified to fire the U.S. M50 series of 20×102mm ammunition loaded into the M14 link belt has been offered to no avail for the U.S. Government by Maremont Corporation, of

Saco, Maine Saco ( ) is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,381 at the 2020 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as Saco Valley Shopping Center. General Dynamics ...

, licensed by Rheinmetall under marketing arrangement.German Machineguns
, MOR Associates, 1971, p. 168

20 mm twin anti-aircraft mount variant

Zwillingsflak twin-gun anti-aircraft system began development in 1968 to meet the requirements of the low-level air defence units of the German Air Force, i.e. "to engage low and very low approaching enemy aircraft with all appropriate means in time to prevent them from firing their weapons or delivering their ordnance, or at least to prevent them from carrying out an accurate attack on an air force installation." The Budget Committee of the Bundestag approved the Zwillingsflak system in December 1969. Serial production began in 1972. The first production systems reached units of the Bundeswehr in October 1972. Rheinmetall delivered the last of these in 1976. This gun was used by the

Argentine Air Force The Argentine Air Force (, or simply ''FAA'') is the air force of Argentina and one of three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. In 2018, it had 13,837 military and 6,900 civilian personnel. FAA commander in chief is Brigadie ...

, including during the

. Since 1981, it has been used by the

Portuguese Army The Portuguese Army () is the land component of the Portuguese Armed Forces, Armed Forces of Portugal and is also its largest branch. It is charged with the defence of Portugal, in co-operation with other branches of the Armed Forces. With its ...

and

Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...

Specifications

* Type: single-barrel

automatic cannon An autocannon, automatic cannon or machine cannon is a automatic firearm, fully automatic gun that is capable of rapid-firing large-caliber ( or more) armour-piercing, explosive or incendiary ammunition, incendiary shell (projectile), shells, ...

* Caliber: 20 × 139 mm (0.79 in) * Operation: Gas-unlocked sliding breech block, blowback, recoiling base * Length: 2612 mm (8 ft 7 in) * Barrel length: 2002 mm * Rifling angle: 6° * Weight (complete): 75 kg (165 lb) single feed; 83 kg (183 lb) dual feed * Rate of fire: 880–1,000 rpm * Effective range: 2000 m * Max. range: 7000 m * Muzzle velocity: 1,050 to 1,150 m/s (3,440 to 3,770 ft/s) * Recoil force: 550–750 kg * Projectile weight: 134 g (0.3 lb) full calibre; 108 g APDS

Operators

* – A total of 15 Rh 202 used by the Argentine Air Force were captured in the Falklands Conflict by the British. 9 at Port Stanley Airport and 6 at Goose Green airfield * – 1,015 ordered in 1969. Used between 1972 and 1992. Twin model now withdrawn from service, but the single barrel version still is used, usually vehicle-mountedThis gun is used with the Marder. * – 326 used by the Hellenic Air Force * – 30 used by the Army and 6 by the Air Force. * * * - Deployed on '' Fiat CM6614''. * * - Deployed on '' Thyssen Henschel UR-416'' of the Saudi Special Security Force. * - Deployed on the naval ships '' SLNS Sayurala'' (2016), '' SLNS Sindurala'' (2018) and on other vessels. * - Secondary armament on naval patrol vessels. * – Deployed on Marder 1A3 IFVs. * * * – Deployed on Marder IFVs donated by Germany.

Gallery

File:Luchs turret.JPEG, The turret of a

German Army The German Army (, 'army') is the land component of the armed forces of Federal Republic of Germany, Germany. The present-day German Army was founded in 1955 as part of the newly formed West German together with the German Navy, ''Marine'' (G ...

Luchs 2 armored reconnaissance vehicle showing a Rh 202 as the main armament. File:Wiesel120mm2.jpg, A

Wiesel AFV showing a Rh 202 as the main armament. File:Marder1A3.2.jpg, A

Marder fires its Rh202 20 mm cannon on a training exercise. File:20 mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon IWM 3.jpg, An Argentine Rheinmetall 20 mm twin anti-aircraft cannon,

Imperial War Museum The Imperial War Museum (IWM), currently branded "Imperial War Museums", is a British national museum. It is headquartered in London, with five branches in England. Founded as the Imperial War Museum in 1917, it was intended to record the civ ...

. File:Scale Rheinmetall 20 mm.JPG, Same gun, with a man nearby for a reference of scale. Markings "''

Fuerza Aérea Argentina The Argentine Air Force (, or simply ''FAA'') is the air force of Argentina and one of three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic. In 2018, it had 13,837 military and 6,900 civilian personnel. FAA commander in chief is Brigadie ...

''" () on the side. File:LÉ Róisin starboard 20 mm Rheinmetall Rh 202 Helsinki.JPG, Naval mount, Irish offshore patrol ship ''LÉ Róisín'' (P51). File:Rheinmetall Rh202 naval mount.jpg, Another version of naval mount, Indonesian frigate ''KRI'' ''Abdul Halim Perdanakusuma'' (355).

References

External links