Rheinmetall Rh 202

The Rh202 is an autocannon with a caliber of 20 mm designed and produced by Rheinmetall.

The cannon is used on military vehicles of German origin, like the Marder infantry fighting vehicle, the Spähpanzer Luchs and some variants of the Wiesel AWC. It is also used in the Argentinian VCTP, an IFV based on the TAM chassis. German naval ships also employed Rh202 mounts (usually two on frigates and destroyers, four on larger replenishment ships), but they have been or are currently replaced with the new Mauser (now a subsidiary of Rheinmetall) MLG 27 remote controlled guns of 27 mm calibre.

20 mm twin anti-aircraft cannon


Rheinmetall 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, and serial production began in 1972; the first production systems reached units of the Bundeswehr on October 12 of that year. Rheinmetall delivered the last of these in 1976. It was also used by the Argentine Air Force, including during the Falklands War. Since 1981, it was used by the Portuguese Army and Portuguese Air Force.

Operators

 * 🇦🇷 - 15 x Rh 202 FAA service, captured in the Falklands Conflict.
 * 🇩🇪 - 1015 ordered in 1969. Used between 1972 and 1992, now withdrawn from service.

Specifications

 * Type: single-barrel automatic cannon
 * Caliber: 20 mm x 139 (0.79 in)
 * Operation: Gas operated
 * 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