Germany’s Rheinmetall is now testing 130mm smoothbore cannon with a integral autoloader.
German defense company Rheinmetall has unveiled a prototype of a 130mm smoothbore gun for a future main battle tank (MBT). Combined with a state-of-the-art auto-loader, this system is the latest evolvement in Rheinmetall’s, Main Battle Tank Advanced Technologies competence. According to the company, the increase of 8 percent in caliber results in 50 percent more kinetic energy over the 120mm smoothbore gun from Rheinmetall, installed in thousands of main battle tanks worldwide. The 130mm developmental cannon delivers leap ahead capabilities in lethality for next generation main battle tanks.
A MBT equipped with the 130mm cannon would be capable of successfully engaging better-protected opponents at greater ranges with superior firepower. Rheinmetall developed its 130mm main gun technology demonstrator to address the emerging necessity of gaining significant performance enhancements against modern armored vehicles. The 130mm live fire demonstrator has completed developmental efforts that have showcased superior energy and output performance when compared to the standard 120mm L55/L55A1 cannon in a direct live fire test with modern targets. The 130mm/L51 smoothbore gun weighs (without mounting components) 3,000 kilograms with a barrel length of 6.63 meters.
Here’s video of the cannon mounted on what appears to be its Challenger 2 demonstrator chassis:
Since Rheinmetall currently supplies the L/55 120mm cannon used as the main gun on the M1A2 Abrams (as well as the German Leopard 2, Japan’s Type 90 and Korea’s K1A2), I expect the 130mm to get a serious look as an upgrade for the M1A2, or in the next-generation tank currently being designed under the Next Generation Combat Vehicle—Future Decisive Lethality project, though that effort is said to be looking at lighter and faster tanks.
Tags: autoloader, Germany, M1A2, Military, Rheinmetall, tanks, video
No discussion of the comparative weight of the 120 mm vs 130 mm ammunition, nor of the size. I understand that readiness for the 130 mm gun was baked in the cake for the Leopard / Abrams / Challenger generation of MBTs, so this should be no big deal, only Rheinmetall delivering on an old promise. I do wonder, is this really necessary? What can withstand hits from the current weaponry? By all means be prepared but I’d just as soon have it validated and keep it in the back pocket for later, no?