Rheinmetall L44
Encyclopedia
The Rheinmetall 120 mm gun is a smoothbore
tank gun
designed and produced by the West German Rheinmetall-DeTec AG
company, developed in response to Soviet advances in armor technology and development of new armored threats. Production began in 1974, with the first version of the gun, known as the L/44 as it was 44 calibers long
, used on the German Leopard 2
tank and soon produced under license for the American M1A1 Abrams and other tanks. The American version, the M256, uses a coil spring recoil system instead of a hydraulic system. The gun has also been exported to South Korea and Japan for their indigenous tank designs, as well as other nations that have procured the Leopard 2 and the M1 Abrams. The 120 millimetres (4.7 in) gun has a length of 5.28 metres (17.3 ft), and the gun system weighs approximately 3317 kilograms (7,312.7 lb).
By 1990 the L/44 was not considered powerful enough to deal with the latest Soviet armor such as the T-80B
, which stimulated an effort by Rheinmetall to develop a better main armament. This first revolved around a 140 millimetres (5.5 in) tank gun named Neue Panzerkanone 140 ("new tank gun 140"), but later turned into a compromise which led to the development of an advanced 120 mm gun, the L/55, based on the same internal geometry as the L/44 and installed in the same breech and mount. The L/55 is 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) longer, giving an increased muzzle velocity to ammunition fired through it. As the L/55 retains the same barrel geometry, it can fire the same ammunition as the L/44.
This gun was retrofitted into German and Dutch Leopard 2s, and chosen as the main gun of the Spanish Leopard 2E
, the Greek Leopard 2HEL, and South Korean K2 main battle tank. It has been tested on the British Challenger 2 as a potential replacement for its current weapon, the rifled L30
120 mm cannon.
A variety of ammunition has been developed for use by tanks with guns based on Rheinmetall's original L/44 design. This includes a series of kinetic energy penetrators, such as the American M829 series, and chemical energy anti-tank warheads. Recent ammunition includes a wide range of new anti-personnel rounds and demolition munitions, giving tanks armed with the L/44 and its derivatives greater versatility on the modern battlefield. The LAHAT
, developed in Israel, is a gun-launched missile which has received interest from Germany and other Leopard 2 users, and is designed to defeat both land armor and combat helicopters. The Israelis also introduced a new anti-personnel munition which limits collateral damage by controlling the fragmentation of the projectile.
Worried about the inability of the L7 105 millimetres (4.1 in)
tank gun then in use across NATO forces to penetrate new Soviet armor, Rheinmetall began development of a new tank gun in 1965. The first instance of a larger Soviet tank gun was witnessed on the chassis of a modified T-55 in 1961. In 1965, the Soviet Union
's T-62
made its first public appearance, armed with a 115 millimetres (4.5 in) smoothbore
tank gun. The Soviet decision to increase the power of its tank's main armament had come when, in the early 1960s, an Iran
ian tank commander defected over the Soviet border in a brand-new M60 Patton
tank, which was armed with the British Royal Ordnance L7. Despite the introduction of the T-62, in 1969 their T-64
tank was rearmed with a new 125 millimetres (4.9 in) tank gun, while in 1972 Nizhny Tagil
began production of the T-72
tank, also armed with the 125 millimetres (4.9 in) gun. For example, at the fighting at Sultan Yakoub, during the 1982 Lebanon War
, the Israel
i government claimed to have destroyed nine Syria
n T-72s with the Merkava
main battle tank, armed with an Israeli production version of the American M68 105 millimetres (4.1 in) tank gun (which in turn was based on the British L7). Whether or not true, the Soviets test fired a number of Israeli M111 Hetz armor piercing discarding sabots
at Kubinka
, finding the 105 millimetres (4.1 in) round was able to perforate the T-72's sloped front section plate
but not its turret armor. In response, the Soviets developed the T-72M1. This led Israel to opt for a 120 mm tank gun during the development process of the Merkava III main battle tank. This case is similar to the American decision to replace the M68 105 millimetres (4.1 in) tank gun with Rheinmetall's 120 mm gun in 1976; the introduction of the T-64A had raised the question within the armor community whether the new ammunition for the existing gun caliber could effectively deal with the new Soviet tank.
In 1963 Germany and the United States had already embarked on a joint tank program, known as the MBT-70
. The new tank carried a three-man crew, with the driver in the turret, an automatic loader for the main gun, a 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in) autocannon
as secondary armament, an active hydropneumatic suspension
and spaced armor on the glacis
plate and the front turret. The new tank concept also had improved armament, a 152 millimetres (6 in) missile-launching main gun, designed to fire the MGM-51 Shillelagh
anti-tank missile
. However, the German Army
was interested in a tank gun which could fire conventional ammunition. Although there were attempts to modify the 152 millimetres (6 in) tank gun to do so, the process proved extremely difficult, and the Germans began development of the future Rheinmetall 120 mm gun instead.
In 1967 the German Ministry of Defense decided to re-open a Leopard 1 improvement program, known as the Vergoldeter Leopard ("Gilded Leopard"), later renamed the Keiler ("Wild Boar"). Krauss-Maffei
was chosen as the contractor, and two prototypes were developed in 1969 and 1970. This program grew into the Leopard 2
; the first prototype of the new tank was delivered in 1972, equipped with a 105 millimetres (4.1 in) smoothbore main gun. Between 1972 and 1975 a total of 17 prototypes were developed. The new 120 mm gun's ten-year development effort, which had begun in 1964, ended in 1974. Ten of the 17 turrets built were equipped with the 105 mm smoothbore gun, and the other seven were equipped with the larger 120 mm gun. Another program aimed to mount the 152 millimetres (6 in) missile-gun was also developed in an attempt to save components from the MBT-70, but in 1971 the program was ended for economic reasons. Instead, the Germans opted for Rheinmetall's 120 mm L/44 smoothbore tank gun.
of 120 mm, and a length of 44 calibers (5.28 metres (17.3 ft)). The gun's barrel weighs 1190 kilograms (2,623.5 lb), and on the M1 Abrams
the gun mount weighs 3317 kilograms (7,312.7 lb), while the new barrel (L/55) is 55 calibers long, 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) longer.
The bore evacuator
and the gun's thermal sleeve, designed to regulate the temperature of the barrel, are made of glass-reinforced plastic
, while the barrel has a chrome lining to increase barrel life. Originally the gun had a barrel life of between 400 and 500 rounds, but with recent advances in propellant
technology the average life decreased to 260 rounds. In some cases, barrels have had to be replaced after firing only 50 projectiles. The gun's recoil mechanism is composed of two hydraulic retarders and a hydropneumatic assembly.
had planned to fit the tank with a larger main gun at a later date, and the tank's turret had been designed to accommodate a larger 120 mm gun. The larger gun was integrated into the M1A1 Abrams, with the first vehicle coming off the production line in 1985 The gun, known as the M256, was based on the L/44 tank gun, although manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal
and modified to increase the resistance of the barrels to fracture and fatigue. Tanks armed with versions of Rheinmetall's gun produced under licence include Japan's Type 90 and South Korea
's K1A1. The gun had made a huge turn in technological history.
The appearance of new Soviet tanks such as the T-80B during the late 1970s and early 1980s demanded the development of new technologies and weapons to counter the threat posed to Western armor. The T-80B had increased firepower and a new composite ceramic armor
. The T-72
also went through a modernization program in an attempt to bring it up to the standards of the T-80B. In 1985 the new T-72B version entered production, with a new laminate armor protection system; its turret armor,designed primarily to defeat anti-tank missiles, surpassed the T-80B's in protection.
The German government began the development of the Leopard 3, although this was canceled after the fall of the Soviet Union
. On 1991, the governments of Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany agreed to cooperate in the development of a modernization program for the Leopard 2. Part of this program included the introduction of a longer 120 mm tank gun, a cheaper alternative to a brand new tank gun, increasing the maximum range of the gun by an estimated 1500 m (1,640.4 yd). Although the gun is longer, allowing for a higher peak pressure from the propellant, the geometry remains the same, allowing the gun to fire the same ammunition as that fired from the shorter version. The longer barrel allows ammunition to attain higher velocities; for example, with new kinetic energy penetrators ammunition can reach velocities of around 1750 m/s (5,741.5 ft/s). The new barrel weighs 1347 kg (2,969.6 lb).
The longer tank gun has been retrofitted into the Leopard 2, creating a model known as the Leopard 2A6. Both the Spanish Leopard 2E
and the Greek Leopard 2HEL, as derivatives of the Leopard 2A6, use the 55 caliber-long tank gun.
A variety of rounds have been developed for Rheinmetall's tank gun. For example, a long line of armor-piercing discarding sabots was developed by Rheinmetall. Originally, the Leopard 2 was outfitted with the DM23 kinetic energy penetrator, based on the Israeli M111 Hetz. The DM23 was eventually replaced by the DM33, which was also adopted by Japan, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland. The DM43 is a further development of this round, co-developed between Germany and France. The United States developed its own Kinetic Energy round using a Depleted Uranium penetrator known as the M829. The DM33 has a three-part aluminum sabot
and a two-part tungsten
penetrator, and is said to be able to penetrate 560 millimetres (22 in) of steel armor at a range of 2000 metres (2,187.2 yd). The introduction of the longer barrel came hand in hand with the introduction of a new kinetic energy penetrator, the DM53. Weighing in at 8.35 kilograms with a 38:1 length to diameter ratio and with a muzzle velocity of 1750 metres per second (5,741.5 ft/s), the projectile has an effective engagement range of up to 4000 metres (4,374.5 yd). A further development, called the DM63, improved upon the round by introducing a new temperature-independent propellant, which allows the propellant to have a constant pattern of expansion between ambient temperatures inside the gun barrel from -47 C to 71 °C (159.8 °F). The new propellant powders, known as surface-coated double-base (SCDB) propellants, allow the DM63 to be used in many climates with consistent results. The new ammunition has been accepted into service with the Dutch and Swiss, as well as German, armies.
The United States developed a number of kinetic energy penetrators, based on the M829. An immediate improvement, known as the M829A1, was called the "Silver Bullet" after good combat performance during the Gulf War
against Iraq
i T-55s, T-62
s and T-72s. The M829 series centers around the depleted uranium
penetrator, designed to penetrate enemy armor through kinetic energy and to shatter inside the turret, doing much damage within the tank. In 1998 the United States military introduced the M829A2, which has an improved depleted uranium penetrator and composite sabot petals. In 2002, production of the M829A3 began, which is said to be able to defeat the latest versions
of Russian explosive reactive armor.
Both Germany and the United States have developed several other rounds. These include the German DM12 multi-purpose anti-tank projectile (MPAT), based on the technology in a high explosive anti-tank warhead. However, it has been found that the DM12's armor-killing abilities are limited by the lack of blast and fragmentation effects, and that the round is less valuable against lightly armored targets. The United States also has a MPAT type projectile, known as the M830
. This was later developed into the M830A1, which allows the M1 Abrams to use the round against helicopters. The M1 Abrams can use the M1028 canister round, which is an antipersonnel munition, packed with over 1,000 tungsten balls. The United States Armed Forces accepted a new demolition round, called the M908 Obstacle Defeating Round, based on the M830A1 MPAT, but with the proximity fuse replaced by a hardened nose cap. The cap allows the round to impact and embed itself in concrete, then exploding inside the target and causing more damage.
The Israeli Army introduced a new round known as the Laser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT
) projectile. Using a semi-active laser homing guidance method, the LAHAT can be guided by the tank's crew or by teams on the ground, while the missile's trajectory can be selected to either attack from the top (to defeat enemy armor) or direct attack (to engage enemy helicopters). Furthermore, the missile can be fired by both 105 millimetres (4.1 in) and 120 mm tank guns. The LAHAT has been offered as an option for the Leopard 2, and has been marketed by both Israel Military Industries and Rheinmetall to Leopard 2 users. Israeli Merkavas make use of a round known as the APAM, which is an anti-personnel munition designed to release fragmentation at controlled intervals to limit the extent of damage. Fragments are shaped to have enough kinetic energy to penetrate body armor.
Poland has introduced a series of projectiles for Rheinmetall's tank gun, including an armor-piercing penetrator target practice round (APFSDS-T-TP), a high-explosive round, and a high-explosive target practice (HE-TP) projectile. The ammunition is manufactured by Zaklady Produkcji Specjalnej Sp.
, Switzerland
, Sweden
, Spain
, Austria
, Denmark
, and other countries. Egypt
had manufactured 700–800 M1A1 Abrams by 2005, and in 2008 requested permission to build another 125 tanks; their M256 main guns (the US version of the L/44) were manufactured by Watervliet Arsenal
. The M1A1 has also been exported to Australia, while the M1A2 Abrams has been exported to Saudi Arabia
and Kuwait
.
The Leopard 2A6 and its longer L/55 main gun have been exported for use by the Canadian Army, and the Netherlands upgraded part of its original fleet of Leopard 2s with the more powerful armament. The British Army
has tested Rheinmetall's longer gun, possibly looking to replace the current L30
A1 120 mm L/55 rifled main gun on the Challenger 2. Two Challenger 2s were modified to undergo firing trials. World Industries Ace Corporation is also producing the L/55 under license for the K2 Black Panther.
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
tank gun
Tank gun
A tank gun is the main armament of a tank. Modern tank guns are large-caliber high-velocity guns, capable of firing kinetic energy penetrators, high explosive anti-tank rounds, and in some cases guided missiles. Anti-aircraft guns can also be mounted to tanks.-Overview:Tank guns are a specific...
designed and produced by the West German Rheinmetall-DeTec AG
Rheinmetall
Rheinmetall AG is a German automotive and defence company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. The company has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces...
company, developed in response to Soviet advances in armor technology and development of new armored threats. Production began in 1974, with the first version of the gun, known as the L/44 as it was 44 calibers long
Caliber (artillery)
In artillery, caliber or calibredifference in British English and American English spelling is the internal diameter of a gun barrel, or by extension a relative measure of the length....
, used on the German Leopard 2
Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...
tank and soon produced under license for the American M1A1 Abrams and other tanks. The American version, the M256, uses a coil spring recoil system instead of a hydraulic system. The gun has also been exported to South Korea and Japan for their indigenous tank designs, as well as other nations that have procured the Leopard 2 and the M1 Abrams. The 120 millimetres (4.7 in) gun has a length of 5.28 metres (17.3 ft), and the gun system weighs approximately 3317 kilograms (7,312.7 lb).
By 1990 the L/44 was not considered powerful enough to deal with the latest Soviet armor such as the T-80B
T-80
The T-80 is a main battle tank designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union. A development of the T-64, it entered service in 1976 and was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine for main propulsion.the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 of 1971 used a gas turbine alongside...
, which stimulated an effort by Rheinmetall to develop a better main armament. This first revolved around a 140 millimetres (5.5 in) tank gun named Neue Panzerkanone 140 ("new tank gun 140"), but later turned into a compromise which led to the development of an advanced 120 mm gun, the L/55, based on the same internal geometry as the L/44 and installed in the same breech and mount. The L/55 is 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) longer, giving an increased muzzle velocity to ammunition fired through it. As the L/55 retains the same barrel geometry, it can fire the same ammunition as the L/44.
This gun was retrofitted into German and Dutch Leopard 2s, and chosen as the main gun of the Spanish Leopard 2E
Leopard 2E
The Leopard 2E is a variant of the German Leopard 2 main battle tank, tailored to the requirements of the Spanish Army, which acquired it as part of an armament modernization program named Programa Coraza, or Program Armor...
, the Greek Leopard 2HEL, and South Korean K2 main battle tank. It has been tested on the British Challenger 2 as a potential replacement for its current weapon, the rifled L30
L30
The L30 is a 120mm tank gun used by the British Army and Royal Army of Oman. It is fitted in the turret of the Challenger 2 main battle tank. It is an improved production model of the Royal Ordnance L11 series of rifled tank guns.-Challenger Armament:...
120 mm cannon.
A variety of ammunition has been developed for use by tanks with guns based on Rheinmetall's original L/44 design. This includes a series of kinetic energy penetrators, such as the American M829 series, and chemical energy anti-tank warheads. Recent ammunition includes a wide range of new anti-personnel rounds and demolition munitions, giving tanks armed with the L/44 and its derivatives greater versatility on the modern battlefield. The LAHAT
LAHAT
The LAHAT is a third generation semi-active laser homing low-weight anti-tank guided missile developed since 1992 and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries...
, developed in Israel, is a gun-launched missile which has received interest from Germany and other Leopard 2 users, and is designed to defeat both land armor and combat helicopters. The Israelis also introduced a new anti-personnel munition which limits collateral damage by controlling the fragmentation of the projectile.
Background
Royal Ordnance L7
The Royal Ordnance L7 is the basic model of Britain's most successful tank gun. The L7 was a 105 mm L/52 rifled design intended for use in armoured fighting vehicles...
tank gun then in use across NATO forces to penetrate new Soviet armor, Rheinmetall began development of a new tank gun in 1965. The first instance of a larger Soviet tank gun was witnessed on the chassis of a modified T-55 in 1961. In 1965, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
's T-62
T-62
The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank, a further development of the T-55. Its 115 mm gun was the first smoothbore tank gun in use.The T-62 was produced between 1961 and 1975. It became a standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, partly replacing the T-55, although that tank continued to be...
made its first public appearance, armed with a 115 millimetres (4.5 in) smoothbore
Smoothbore
A smoothbore weapon is one which has a barrel without rifling. Smoothbores range from handheld firearms to powerful tank guns and large artillery mortars.-History of firearms and rifling:...
tank gun. The Soviet decision to increase the power of its tank's main armament had come when, in the early 1960s, an Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian tank commander defected over the Soviet border in a brand-new M60 Patton
M60 Patton
The 105 mm Gun Full Tracked Combat Tank, M60, also known unofficially as the M60 Patton, is a first-generation main battle tank introduced in December 1960. It was widely used by the U.S. and its Cold War allies, especially those in NATO, and remains in service throughout the world today...
tank, which was armed with the British Royal Ordnance L7. Despite the introduction of the T-62, in 1969 their T-64
T-64
The T-64 is a Soviet main battle tank, introduced in the early 1960s. It was used solely by the Soviet Army in its front-line divisions and was a more advanced counterpart to the T-62...
tank was rearmed with a new 125 millimetres (4.9 in) tank gun, while in 1972 Nizhny Tagil
Nizhny Tagil
Nizhny Tagil is a city in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, situated east of the virtual border between Europe and Asia. Population: -History:...
began production of the T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
tank, also armed with the 125 millimetres (4.9 in) gun. For example, at the fighting at Sultan Yakoub, during the 1982 Lebanon War
1982 Lebanon War
The 1982 Lebanon War , , called Operation Peace for Galilee by Israel, and later known in Israel as the Lebanon War and First Lebanon War, began on 6 June 1982, when the Israel Defense Forces invaded southern Lebanon...
, the Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i government claimed to have destroyed nine Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
n T-72s with the Merkava
Merkava
The Merkava is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1974 and was first introduced in 1978. Four main versions of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War...
main battle tank, armed with an Israeli production version of the American M68 105 millimetres (4.1 in) tank gun (which in turn was based on the British L7). Whether or not true, the Soviets test fired a number of Israeli M111 Hetz armor piercing discarding sabots
Kinetic energy penetrator
A kinetic energy penetrator is a type of ammunition which, like a bullet, does not contain explosives and uses kinetic energy to penetrate the target....
at Kubinka
Kubinka
Kubinka is a town in Odintsovsky District of Moscow Oblast, Russia, located on the Setun River, west of Moscow. Population: Kubinka was the location of the Soviet Union's tank proving grounds, and today is the home of the Kubinka Tank Museum...
, finding the 105 millimetres (4.1 in) round was able to perforate the T-72's sloped front section plate
Glacis
A glacis in military engineering is an artificial slope of earth used in late European fortresses so constructed as to keep any potential assailant under the fire of the defenders until the last possible moment...
but not its turret armor. In response, the Soviets developed the T-72M1. This led Israel to opt for a 120 mm tank gun during the development process of the Merkava III main battle tank. This case is similar to the American decision to replace the M68 105 millimetres (4.1 in) tank gun with Rheinmetall's 120 mm gun in 1976; the introduction of the T-64A had raised the question within the armor community whether the new ammunition for the existing gun caliber could effectively deal with the new Soviet tank.
In 1963 Germany and the United States had already embarked on a joint tank program, known as the MBT-70
MBT-70
The MBT-70 was a 1960s German-U.S. joint project to develop a new main battle tank, which was to be equipped with a number of advanced features. It utilized a newly developed hydropneumatic "kneeling" suspension and housed the entire crew in the large turret...
. The new tank carried a three-man crew, with the driver in the turret, an automatic loader for the main gun, a 20 millimetre (0.78740157480315 in) autocannon
Autocannon
An autocannon or automatic cannon is a rapid-fire projectile weapon firing a shell as opposed to the bullet fired by a machine gun. Autocannons often have a larger caliber than a machine gun . Usually, autocannons are smaller than a field gun or other artillery, and are mechanically loaded for a...
as secondary armament, an active hydropneumatic suspension
Hydropneumatic suspension
Hydropneumatic suspension is a type of automotive suspension system, invented by Citroën, and fitted to Citroën cars, as well as being used under licence by other car manufacturers, notably Rolls-Royce, and Peugeot. It was also used on Berliet trucks and is since recently used on Mercedes-Benz...
and spaced armor on the glacis
Glacis
A glacis in military engineering is an artificial slope of earth used in late European fortresses so constructed as to keep any potential assailant under the fire of the defenders until the last possible moment...
plate and the front turret. The new tank concept also had improved armament, a 152 millimetres (6 in) missile-launching main gun, designed to fire the MGM-51 Shillelagh
MGM-51 Shillelagh
The Ford MGM-51 Shillelagh was an American anti-tank guided missile designed to be launched from a conventional gun . It was originally intended to be the medium-range portion of a short, medium, long-range system for armored fighting vehicles in the 1960s and '70s to defeat future armor without an...
anti-tank missile
Anti-tank guided missile
An anti-tank missile , anti-tank guided missile , anti-tank guided weapon or anti-armor guided weapon is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy heavily-armored military vehicles....
. However, the German Army
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
was interested in a tank gun which could fire conventional ammunition. Although there were attempts to modify the 152 millimetres (6 in) tank gun to do so, the process proved extremely difficult, and the Germans began development of the future Rheinmetall 120 mm gun instead.
Krauss-Maffei
The Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG or simply Krauss-Maffei is an injection molding machine manufacturer and defence company based in Munich, Germany...
was chosen as the contractor, and two prototypes were developed in 1969 and 1970. This program grew into the Leopard 2
Leopard 2
The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and twelve...
; the first prototype of the new tank was delivered in 1972, equipped with a 105 millimetres (4.1 in) smoothbore main gun. Between 1972 and 1975 a total of 17 prototypes were developed. The new 120 mm gun's ten-year development effort, which had begun in 1964, ended in 1974. Ten of the 17 turrets built were equipped with the 105 mm smoothbore gun, and the other seven were equipped with the larger 120 mm gun. Another program aimed to mount the 152 millimetres (6 in) missile-gun was also developed in an attempt to save components from the MBT-70, but in 1971 the program was ended for economic reasons. Instead, the Germans opted for Rheinmetall's 120 mm L/44 smoothbore tank gun.
Design features
Rheinmetall's L/44 tank gun has a caliberCaliber
In guns including firearms, caliber or calibre is the approximate internal diameter of the barrel in relation to the diameter of the projectile used in it....
of 120 mm, and a length of 44 calibers (5.28 metres (17.3 ft)). The gun's barrel weighs 1190 kilograms (2,623.5 lb), and on the M1 Abrams
M1 Abrams
The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...
the gun mount weighs 3317 kilograms (7,312.7 lb), while the new barrel (L/55) is 55 calibers long, 1.3 metres (4.3 ft) longer.
The bore evacuator
Bore evacuator
A bore evacuator is a device on the gun barrel of an armoured fighting vehicle which helps prevent poisonous propellant gases from venting back into the vehicle's fighting compartment when the gun breech is opened to load another round. Bore evacuators are most often used on large-calibre tank...
and the gun's thermal sleeve, designed to regulate the temperature of the barrel, are made of glass-reinforced plastic
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
, while the barrel has a chrome lining to increase barrel life. Originally the gun had a barrel life of between 400 and 500 rounds, but with recent advances in propellant
Propellant
A propellant is a material that produces pressurized gas that:* can be directed through a nozzle, thereby producing thrust ;...
technology the average life decreased to 260 rounds. In some cases, barrels have had to be replaced after firing only 50 projectiles. The gun's recoil mechanism is composed of two hydraulic retarders and a hydropneumatic assembly.
Rheinmetall L44 120mm
Production of the German Leopard 2 and the new 120 mm tank gun began in 1979, fulfilling an order for the German Army. Although the American M1 Abrams was originally armed with the M68A1 105 mm gun (a version of the L7), the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
had planned to fit the tank with a larger main gun at a later date, and the tank's turret had been designed to accommodate a larger 120 mm gun. The larger gun was integrated into the M1A1 Abrams, with the first vehicle coming off the production line in 1985 The gun, known as the M256, was based on the L/44 tank gun, although manufactured at Watervliet Arsenal
Watervliet Arsenal
The Watervliet Arsenal is an arsenal of the United States Army located in Watervliet, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River. It is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, and today produces much of the artillery for the army, as well as gun tubes for cannons, mortars,...
and modified to increase the resistance of the barrels to fracture and fatigue. Tanks armed with versions of Rheinmetall's gun produced under licence include Japan's Type 90 and South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
's K1A1. The gun had made a huge turn in technological history.
Rheinmetall L55 120mm
Composite armour
Composite armour is a type of vehicle armour consisting of layers of different material such as metals, plastics, ceramics or air. Most composite armour are lighter than their all-metal equivalent, but instead occupy a larger volume for the same resistance to penetration...
. The T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
also went through a modernization program in an attempt to bring it up to the standards of the T-80B. In 1985 the new T-72B version entered production, with a new laminate armor protection system; its turret armor,designed primarily to defeat anti-tank missiles, surpassed the T-80B's in protection.
The German government began the development of the Leopard 3, although this was canceled after the fall of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. On 1991, the governments of Switzerland, Netherlands and Germany agreed to cooperate in the development of a modernization program for the Leopard 2. Part of this program included the introduction of a longer 120 mm tank gun, a cheaper alternative to a brand new tank gun, increasing the maximum range of the gun by an estimated 1500 m (1,640.4 yd). Although the gun is longer, allowing for a higher peak pressure from the propellant, the geometry remains the same, allowing the gun to fire the same ammunition as that fired from the shorter version. The longer barrel allows ammunition to attain higher velocities; for example, with new kinetic energy penetrators ammunition can reach velocities of around 1750 m/s (5,741.5 ft/s). The new barrel weighs 1347 kg (2,969.6 lb).
The longer tank gun has been retrofitted into the Leopard 2, creating a model known as the Leopard 2A6. Both the Spanish Leopard 2E
Leopard 2E
The Leopard 2E is a variant of the German Leopard 2 main battle tank, tailored to the requirements of the Spanish Army, which acquired it as part of an armament modernization program named Programa Coraza, or Program Armor...
and the Greek Leopard 2HEL, as derivatives of the Leopard 2A6, use the 55 caliber-long tank gun.
Ammunition
Sabot
A sabot is a device used in a firearm or cannon to fire a projectile, such as a bullet, that is smaller than the bore diameter, or which must be held in a precise position. The term is also applied to a battery stub case, a device used similarly to make a small electrical battery usable in a...
and a two-part tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
penetrator, and is said to be able to penetrate 560 millimetres (22 in) of steel armor at a range of 2000 metres (2,187.2 yd). The introduction of the longer barrel came hand in hand with the introduction of a new kinetic energy penetrator, the DM53. Weighing in at 8.35 kilograms with a 38:1 length to diameter ratio and with a muzzle velocity of 1750 metres per second (5,741.5 ft/s), the projectile has an effective engagement range of up to 4000 metres (4,374.5 yd). A further development, called the DM63, improved upon the round by introducing a new temperature-independent propellant, which allows the propellant to have a constant pattern of expansion between ambient temperatures inside the gun barrel from -47 C to 71 °C (159.8 °F). The new propellant powders, known as surface-coated double-base (SCDB) propellants, allow the DM63 to be used in many climates with consistent results. The new ammunition has been accepted into service with the Dutch and Swiss, as well as German, armies.
The United States developed a number of kinetic energy penetrators, based on the M829. An immediate improvement, known as the M829A1, was called the "Silver Bullet" after good combat performance during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
against Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i T-55s, T-62
T-62
The T-62 is a Soviet main battle tank, a further development of the T-55. Its 115 mm gun was the first smoothbore tank gun in use.The T-62 was produced between 1961 and 1975. It became a standard tank in the Soviet arsenal, partly replacing the T-55, although that tank continued to be...
s and T-72s. The M829 series centers around the depleted uranium
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope U-235 than natural uranium . Uses of DU take advantage of its very high density of 19.1 g/cm3...
penetrator, designed to penetrate enemy armor through kinetic energy and to shatter inside the turret, doing much damage within the tank. In 1998 the United States military introduced the M829A2, which has an improved depleted uranium penetrator and composite sabot petals. In 2002, production of the M829A3 began, which is said to be able to defeat the latest versions
Kontakt-5
Kontakt-5 is a type of third-generation explosive reactive armour originating in the Soviet Union. It is the first type of ERA which is effectively able to defeat modern armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot rounds....
of Russian explosive reactive armor.
Both Germany and the United States have developed several other rounds. These include the German DM12 multi-purpose anti-tank projectile (MPAT), based on the technology in a high explosive anti-tank warhead. However, it has been found that the DM12's armor-killing abilities are limited by the lack of blast and fragmentation effects, and that the round is less valuable against lightly armored targets. The United States also has a MPAT type projectile, known as the M830
M830
The M830 is an American high explosive anti-tank round meant primarily for the 120 mm M256 main gun of the M1A1 and M1A2 Abrams. Aside from the double safety, propellant containment bag and M764 fuze, it is identical to the German DM12A1. The cartridge weighs approximately 53.4 lb . The round was...
. This was later developed into the M830A1, which allows the M1 Abrams to use the round against helicopters. The M1 Abrams can use the M1028 canister round, which is an antipersonnel munition, packed with over 1,000 tungsten balls. The United States Armed Forces accepted a new demolition round, called the M908 Obstacle Defeating Round, based on the M830A1 MPAT, but with the proximity fuse replaced by a hardened nose cap. The cap allows the round to impact and embed itself in concrete, then exploding inside the target and causing more damage.
The Israeli Army introduced a new round known as the Laser Homing Anti-Tank (LAHAT
LAHAT
The LAHAT is a third generation semi-active laser homing low-weight anti-tank guided missile developed since 1992 and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries...
) projectile. Using a semi-active laser homing guidance method, the LAHAT can be guided by the tank's crew or by teams on the ground, while the missile's trajectory can be selected to either attack from the top (to defeat enemy armor) or direct attack (to engage enemy helicopters). Furthermore, the missile can be fired by both 105 millimetres (4.1 in) and 120 mm tank guns. The LAHAT has been offered as an option for the Leopard 2, and has been marketed by both Israel Military Industries and Rheinmetall to Leopard 2 users. Israeli Merkavas make use of a round known as the APAM, which is an anti-personnel munition designed to release fragmentation at controlled intervals to limit the extent of damage. Fragments are shaped to have enough kinetic energy to penetrate body armor.
Poland has introduced a series of projectiles for Rheinmetall's tank gun, including an armor-piercing penetrator target practice round (APFSDS-T-TP), a high-explosive round, and a high-explosive target practice (HE-TP) projectile. The ammunition is manufactured by Zaklady Produkcji Specjalnej Sp.
Operators
Due to tank sales, Rheinmetall's L/44 tank gun has been manufactured for other nations. For example, the Leopard 2 armed with the 44 caliber long gun, has been sold to the NetherlandsNetherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and other countries. Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
had manufactured 700–800 M1A1 Abrams by 2005, and in 2008 requested permission to build another 125 tanks; their M256 main guns (the US version of the L/44) were manufactured by Watervliet Arsenal
Watervliet Arsenal
The Watervliet Arsenal is an arsenal of the United States Army located in Watervliet, New York, on the west bank of the Hudson River. It is the oldest continuously active arsenal in the United States, and today produces much of the artillery for the army, as well as gun tubes for cannons, mortars,...
. The M1A1 has also been exported to Australia, while the M1A2 Abrams has been exported to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
and Kuwait
Kuwait
The State of Kuwait is a sovereign Arab state situated in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south at Khafji, and Iraq to the north at Basra. It lies on the north-western shore of the Persian Gulf. The name Kuwait is derived from the...
.
| Tank | Designer | Country | Gun | Proliferation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard 2 | Krauss-Maffei Krauss-Maffei The Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co KG or simply Krauss-Maffei is an injection molding machine manufacturer and defence company based in Munich, Germany... |
Germany | Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 | Austria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey |
| M1 Abrams | Chrysler Defense Chrysler Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925.... (General Dynamics Land Systems General Dynamics Land Systems In February 1982 Chrysler announced the sale of Chrysler Defense, its profitable defense subsidiary to General Dynamics for US$348.5 million. The sale was completed in March 1982 for the revised figure of US$336.1 million. General Dynamics renamed the division General Dynamics Land Systems. In 2003... ) |
United States | M256 | Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia |
| K1A1 | Hyundai Rotem | South Korea | KM256 | |
| Type 90 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Mitsubishi Heavy Industries , or MHI, is a Japanese company. It is one of the core companies of Mitsubishi Group.-History:In 1870 Yataro Iwasaki, the founder of Mitsubishi took a lease of Government-owned Nagasaki Shipyard. He named it Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works, and started the shipbuilding business on a full scale... |
Japan | Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 |
The Leopard 2A6 and its longer L/55 main gun have been exported for use by the Canadian Army, and the Netherlands upgraded part of its original fleet of Leopard 2s with the more powerful armament. The British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
has tested Rheinmetall's longer gun, possibly looking to replace the current L30
L30
The L30 is a 120mm tank gun used by the British Army and Royal Army of Oman. It is fitted in the turret of the Challenger 2 main battle tank. It is an improved production model of the Royal Ordnance L11 series of rifled tank guns.-Challenger Armament:...
A1 120 mm L/55 rifled main gun on the Challenger 2. Two Challenger 2s were modified to undergo firing trials. World Industries Ace Corporation is also producing the L/55 under license for the K2 Black Panther.
| Tank | Designer | Country | Gun | Proliferation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard 2A6 | Krauss-Maffei | Germany | Rheinmetall 120 mm L/55 | Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain |
| K2 Black Panther | Hyundai Rotem | South Korea | World Industries Ace L/55 |