View source for Engineering:Rheinmetall Mk 20 RH-202

thumb|right|Rh 202 in the [[Marder (IFV)|Marder turret]]
The '''Rheinmetall Mk 20 RH-202''' (short for '''''M'''aschinen'''K'''anone 20&nbsp;mm '''Rh'''einmetall'') is a 20&nbsp;mm [[Engineering:Autocannon|autocannon]] designed and produced by Rheinmetall. It fires the 20×139mm ammunition originally developed for the [[Engineering:Hispano-Suiza HS.820|Hispano-Suiza HS.820]].

The cannon is used on German military vehicles including the [[Engineering:Marder (IFV)|Marder]] [[Engineering:Infantry fighting vehicle|infantry fighting vehicle]], the [[Engineering:Spähpanzer Luchs|Spähpanzer Luchs]] and some variants of the [[Engineering:Wiesel AWC|Wiesel AWC]]. It is also used in the Argentinian VCTP, an IFV based on the TAM chassis. A towed twin mount antiaircraft version was also produced; it was used by Argentina in the Falklands War.

German naval ships also employed Rh 202 mounts (usually two on [[Engineering:Frigate|frigate]]s and [[Engineering:Destroyer|destroyer]]s, four on larger replenishment ships), but they have been or are currently being replaced with the new [[Company:Mauser|Mauser]] (now a subsidiary of Rheinmetall) [[Engineering:Mauser BK-27|MLG 27]] remote-controlled guns of 27&nbsp;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 Corp., of Saco, Maine, licensed by Rheinmetall under marketing arrangement.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=f_9CAAAAIAAJ German Machineguns], MOR Associates, 1971, p. 168</ref>

== Variant: 20 mm twin anti-aircraft mount ==
{{Infobox weapon
|name=Flugabwehrkanone 20 mm Zwilling
| image= 20 mm anti-aircraft gun of the Bundeswehr.JPEG
| image_size = 300
|caption=20&nbsp;mm twin gun 1095 of the {{wipe|German Air Force}}.
|origin= West Germany
|type=[[Engineering:Autocannon|Autocannon]]
<!-- Type selection -->
|is_ranged=YES
|is_bladed=
|is_explosive=
|is_artillery=YES
|is_vehicle=
<!-- Service history -->
|service=
|used_by=
|wars=
<!-- Production history -->
|designer=Rheinmetall
|design_date=1960s
|manufacturer=Rheinmetall
|production_date=
|number=
|variants=
<!-- General specifications -->
|weight=1,640&nbsp;[[Kilogram|kg]] (combat ready)<ref name="HisLuWa">{{cite web| url=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 | title=Die Flugabwehrkanone 20 mm Zwilling | publisher=luftwaffe.de | accessdate=8 April 2011 | language=German}}</ref><br/>
2,050&nbsp;kg (travelling)
|length={{convert|5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (travelling)
|part_length={{convert|1.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|width={{convert|2.3|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (travelling)
|height={{convert|2|m|ftin|abbr=on}} (travelling)<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/911907988|title=Jane's pocket book of towed artillery|last=Foss|first=Christopher|date=1977|publisher=Collier|page=205|isbn=0020806000|location=New York|oclc=911907988}}</ref>
|crew=3 to 4
<!-- Ranged weapon specifications -->
|cartridge=20 × 139&nbsp;mm
|caliber=20&nbsp;mm<ref name="HisLuWa" />
|action=Gas unlocked blowback
|rate=880 to 1,030&nbsp;rpm per gun<ref name="HisLuWa" />
|velocity=1,044&nbsp;m/s with HEI<br/>
1,100&nbsp;m/s with AP
|range=1,600&nbsp;m against high flying aircraft<ref name="HisLuWa" /><br/>
2,500&nbsp;m against ground targets<ref name="HisLuWa" />
|max_range=
|feed=
|sights=
<!-- Artillery specifications -->
|breech=
|recoil=
|carriage=
|traverse=360°<ref name="HisLuWa"/>
|elevation=-5°&nbsp;to&nbsp;+83.5°<ref name="HisLuWa"/>
<!-- Bladed weapon specifications -->
|blade_type=
|hilt_type=
|head_type=
|haft_type=
<!-- Explosive specifications -->
|diameter=
|filling=
|filling_weight=
|detonation=
|yield=
}}

Rheinmetall Zwillingsflak twin-gun [[Social:Anti-aircraft warfare|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.

This gun was also used by the {{wipe|Argentine Air Force}}, including during the Falklands War.

Since 1981, it was used by the Portuguese Army and {{wipe|Portuguese Air Force}}.

==Operators==
*{{ARG}} - 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
*{{GER}} – 1015 ordered in 1969. Used between 1972 and 1992, twin model now withdrawn from service, but the single barrel version still is used, usually vehicle-mounted<ref name="HisLuWa" />
*{{GRE}}
*{{POR}} – Some 30 used by the Army
*{{TUR}}
*{{INA}}
*{{SRI}} - Deployed on the navy newly aqquired AOPVs SLNS Sayurala (2016), SLNS Sindurala (2018) and on other vessels.
*{{IRL}}
*{{CHL}} In Marder 1A3 IFVs.

==Specifications==
* '''Type''': single-barrel automatic cannon
* '''Caliber''': 20 × 139&nbsp;mm (0.79&nbsp;in)
* '''Operation''': Gas-unlocked sliding breech block, blowback, recoiling base
* '''Length''': 2612&nbsp;mm (8&nbsp;ft 7 in)
* '''Barrel length''': 2002&nbsp;mm
* '''Rifling angle''': 6°
* '''Weight (complete)''': 75&nbsp;kg (165&nbsp;lb) single feed; 83&nbsp;kg (183&nbsp;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&nbsp;m/s (3,440 to 3,770&nbsp;ft/s)
* '''Recoil force''': 550–750&nbsp;kg
* '''Projectile weight''': 134 g (0.3&nbsp;lb) full calibre; 108 g APDS

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Luchs turret.JPEG|Turret of a German Army [[Engineering:Spähpanzer Luchs|Luchs 2]] armored reconnaissance vehicle showing Rh 202 as main armament.
File:Wiesel120mm2.jpg|A German Army [[Engineering:Wiesel AWC|Wiesel AFV]] showing Rh 202 as main armament.
Image:Marder1A3.2.jpg|A German Army [[Engineering:Marder (IFV)|Marder]] fires its Rh202 20&nbsp;mm cannon on a training exercise.
File:TAM VCTP -1.jpg|An Argentine Army VCTP showing turret with Rh 202 as main armament.
Image:20 mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon IWM 3.jpg|Argentine Rheinmetall 20&nbsp;mm twin anti-aircraft cannon,  Imperial War Museum.
File:Scale Rheinmetall 20 mm.JPG|Same gun, with an adult male nearby for a reference of scale. Markings "''Fuerza Aérea Argentina''" ({{lang-en|Argentine Air Force}}) on the side.
File:LÉ Róisin starboard 20 mm Rheinmetall Rh 202 Helsinki.JPG|Naval mount, Irish offshore patrol ship ''LÉ Róisín'' (P51).
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Engineering:ZU-23-2|ZU-23-2]]
* [[Engineering:Hispano-Suiza HS.820|Hispano-Suiza HS.820]]
* Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon
* [[Engineering:List of artillery|List of artillery]]
* [[Engineering:List of artillery by type#Anti-aircraft guns|List of anti-aircraft guns]]
* [[Engineering:List of artillery by country#Germany|List of artillery of Germany]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.janes.com/extracts/extract/jaau/jaau0027.html MK20 Rh 202 specifications in "Jane's Armour and Artillery Upgrades, May'08 (extract)"]


[[Category:Autocannon]]

{{Sourceattribution|Rheinmetall Mk 20 RH-202|1}}