Rheinmetall 20 mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon
| Flugabwehrkanone 20 mm Zwilling | |
|---|---|
 20 mm twin gun 1095 of the German Luftwaffe |
|
| Type | Autocannon |
| Place of origin |  West Germany |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Rheinmetall |
| Designed | 1960s |
| Manufacturer | Rheinmetall |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1,640 kg (combat ready)[1] 2,050 kg (travelling) |
| Crew | 3 to 4 |
|
|
|
| Shell | 20 × 139 mm |
| Caliber | 20 mm[1] |
| Elevation | 360°[1] |
| Traverse | -5° to +83.5°[1] |
| Rate of fire | 880 to 1,030 rpm per gun[1] |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,044 m/s with HEI 1,100 m/s with AP |
| Effective range | 1,600 m against high flying aircraft[1] 2,500 m against ground targets[1] |
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.
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[edit] Operators
Argentina - 15 x Rh 202 FAA service, captured in the Falklands Conflict.
Germany - 1015 ordered in 1969. Used between 1972 and 1992, now withdrawn from service.[1]
Greece
Portugal
Turkey
Indonesia
Pakistan[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Die Flugabwehrkanone 20 mm Zwilling" (in German). luftwaffe.de. http://www.geschichte.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/geschlw/kcxml/04_Sj9SPykssy0xPLMnMz0vM0Y_QjzKLNwyL9_AIBsmB2e5eTvqRcNGglFR9X4_83FR9b_0A_YLciHJHR0VFACjlI9M!/delta/base64xml/L2dJQSEvUUt3QS80SVVFLzZfMVZfSFBR?yw_contentURL=%2F01DB060000000001%2FW26R9AV2021INFODE%2Fcontent.jsp. Retrieved 8th of April 2011.
[edit] External links
- Basic MK20 Rh 202 specifications and picture in official website "Rheinmetall Defence - Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH"
- MK20 Rh 202 specifications in "Jane's Armour and Artillery Upgrades, May'08 (extract)"
- Picture of an AA twin-barrelled Rh 202 in Indonesian Army service
[edit] See also
- Rheinmetall MK 20 Rh 202
- ZU-23-2
- Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon
- List of anti-aircraft guns
- List of artillery of Germany
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