The gun and its family of ammunition are being aimed at future main battle tank (MBT) |
By Wording OD.
Rheinmetall (External Pe6b, Stand D261-211) is
presenting its latest 130mm smoothbore tank gun developed by Rheinmetall Waffe
and Munition. The first technical demonstrator was completed in May 2016, and
following its unveiling at Eurosatory, will start its company firing trials
from a static stand at the Rheinmetall proving ground. The gun is an L/51 weapon and features a vertical
sliding breech mechanism and increased chamber volume and is chrome-lined. Including its recoil system, it weighs about
3,000kg, with the barrel on its own weighing 1,400kg. It is not fitted with a
muzzle brake. The example being shown here is fitted with a thermal sleeve and
muzzle reference system, which will be used for the forthcoming firing trials.