Developed for the German Army in the 1960s and used on Marder Armored Personnel Carriers. Adapted for ship-board use in the 1970s. Gas-operated with a rigid bolt, this weapon is designed for minimal recoil forces and long barrel life. Available in either single or dual belt versions. Originally built by Rhinemetall. MK stands for "Maschinenkanone."
| Designation | Gun: 20 mm/65 (0.8") MK 20 DM 5 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Present-day German warships |
| Date Of Design | 1962 (1973 Naval Version) |
| Date In Service | 1974 (Naval Version) |
| Gun Weight | 167.5 lbs. (76 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | 102.8 in (2.612 m) |
| Bore Length | N/A |
| Rifling Length | 66.9 in (1.700 m) |
| Grooves | N/A |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | N/A |
| Chamber Volume | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire | 1,000 rounds per minute cyclic |
| Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Weight of Complete Round | N/A |
| Projectile Types and Weights | HE-T: 0.3 lbs. (0.134 kg)
AP-T: 0.3 lbs. (0.134 kg) APDS-T: 0.3 lbs. (0.134 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | N/A |
| Projectile Length | N/A
Length of Complete Round: 8.4 in (21.3 cm) |
| Propellant Charge | 0.092 lbs. (0.42 kg) |
| Cartridge | 20 x 139 mm NATO |
| Muzzle Velocity | HE-T: 3,440 fps (1,050 mps)
AP-T: 3,600 fps (1,100 mps) APDS-T: 3,770 fps (1,150 mps) |
| Working Pressure | N/A |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | Ammunition in 200 round belts |
| Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|
| Effective | 2,200 yards (2,000 m) |
| Maximum | 6,400 yards (7,000 m) |
| Designation | Rheinmetall single pintle fork mounting: S 20 and SV 20
Norwegian Single Mounts: KV-Sk/20 1 |
|---|---|
| Weight | Rheinmetall S 20
Without gun or ammunition: 617 lbs. (280 kg) With gun and 200 rounds ammunition: 948 lbs. (430 kg) Rheinmetall SV 20: N/A Norwegian
|
| Elevation | Rheinmetall: -10 / +55 (or +60) degrees
Norwegian: -15 / +70 degrees |
| Elevation Rate | Manually operated, only |
| Train | 360 degrees |
| Train Rate | Manually operated, only |
| Gun recoil | N/A |
- ^The Norwegian version is based upon the FK20-2 field-gun mounting. Norway also uses this gun in their coastal defense units to provide protection to larger guns from land and air attacks.
"The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems 1991/92" by Norman Friedman
"Jane’s Armour and Artillery 1985–86" by C.F. Foss (editor)
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Mauser Weapon Systems
Rheinmetall AG
Special help by Jakko Westerbeke
28 December 2008 - Benchmark
07 September 2019 - Converted to HTML 5 format, added gun details
03 May 2022 - Added photograph of twin mount