Draft:20×102mm

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20×102mm
Three assorted 20×102 cartridges
TypeAutocannon
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1952–present
Used byUnited States, Czechia, France, various other NATO countries, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, etc.
Production history
Produced1951–present
VariantsM940 MPT-SD, see below
Specifications
Case typeRimless, bottleneck
Bullet diameter20 mm (0.79 in)
Rim diameter29.5 mm (1.16 in)[1]
Ballistic performance
Bullet mass/type Velocity Energy
102 g (1,574 gr) M56 HEI[1] 1,030 m/s (3,400 ft/s) 54,106 J (39,907 ft⋅lbf)
105 g (1,620 gr) M940 MPT-SD 1,050 m/s (3,400 ft/s) 57,881 J (42,691 ft⋅lbf)

The 20×102mm cartridge is a common type of 20 mm caliber ammunition developed for the United States Armed Forces during the Cold War and still widely used primarily in the light autocannons of many western militaries, being standardized for NATO usage as STANAG 3585 since 2008.

History[edit]

During the Second World War, Americans forces deployed overseas began to notice that various European 20 mm (0.79 in) autocannons outpaced their smaller .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in firepower while also being significantly lighter. In suit, the USAAC began licensed production of an American adaptation of the 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 aircraft gun (designated M1, T-31, later M24) based on British variants, which soon proved to be extremely unreliable despite bureaucratic efforts to force it into broad service.

After the war, with recently captured Nazi German technology newly available, the USAF decided to restart this endeavor from scratch inspired by the Mauser MG 213 20mm prototype revolver cannon. By the early 1950s, the result was a revolver-type aircraft gun designated the T-160, chambered in a new 20×102mm cartridge designed specifically for this weapon over the aging 20×110mm HS used previously.

The round was likely first used in combat sometime in early 1953 during the Korean War on one of 8 North American F-86 Sabres as part of "Project GunVal", in which their six .50 BMG M3 machine guns were replaced with four 20mm T-160 autocannons and redesignated F-86F-2 to test up-gunning aircrafts with insufficient firepower for aerial combat of the time.[2]

The results of the experiment were a great success; not only did the T-160 go on to be adopted as Aircraft Gun Unit M39 for later models of F-86 among others such as the North American F-100 Super Sabre, but the data was influential in General Electric's "Project Vulcan", where the cartridge was simultaneously being tested since the prior year in a variant of the T-45 15 mm (0.59 in) Gatling gun designated T-171, which led to its eventual standardization as the main armament of American warplanes.

Weapon platforms[edit]

Czechia[edit]

France[edit]

Iran[edit]

Available loads[edit]

Designation Type Projectile weight Charge Muzzle velocity Projectile description Image
M2[3] TP-R3 100 g (1,500 gr) — 1,039 m/s (3,410 ft/s) Blue body with metallic tip. Disintegrating training round designed to ballistically match the M70A1 round for the M39, M61, and M197
M53 API 4.2 g (65 gr) incendiary Black body with metallic tip and red band.
M55 TP — Blue coloration.
M56 HEI 102 g (1,570 gr), 100 g (1,500 gr) variants 9 g (140 gr) RDX HE & 1.5 g (23 gr) incendiary, increased & mixed in A3 variant 1,030 m/s (3,380 ft/s) Yellow to orange body with metallic tip and gradated red band. M56A4 left
M70[4] MP-LD 100 g (1,500 gr) 1,040 m/s (3,410 ft/s) Yellow body with metallic tip and sharp red band. Multi-purpose round derived from the PGU-28 round designed to maintain a higher velocity via lower drag for the M39, M61, and M197 with a dispersion of less than 0.167m at 200 metres (220 yd). A1 variant has a sintered iron rotating band in place of the default copper
M220 TP-T — Blue coloration, often with orange either in a T-dotted band or on the tip.
M242 HEI-T Yellow body with metallic tip, red and either orange or black T-dotted bands.
M246 HEI-T-SD Yellow body with metallic tip, adjacent red, brown, and orange T-dotted bands.
M940 MPT-SD 105 g (1,620 gr) 1,050 m/s (3,440 ft/s) Yellow to orange body with metallic tip, red, brown, and black bands.
Mk 149[5] APDS 93 g (1,440 gr) — 1,128 ± 10 m/s (3,700 ± 30 ft/s) Black, orange (Mod 2), or white (Mod 4) sabot. Sub-caliber anti-armor round made from depleted uranium (tungsten in Mod 4 variant) designed primarily for use in the Phalanx CIWS against anti-ship missiles and other surface targets rather than tank armor. Typical case mouth pressure of 60,500 psi (417 MPa) Mark 149 Mod 2
Mk 244[6] Unconfirmed, 120–130 g (1,900–2,000 gr) 1,100 ± 15 m/s (3,610 ± 50 ft/s) Red sabot. Sub-caliber electric-primed tungsten alloy penetrator round designed primarily for use in the Phalanx CIWS against anti-ship missiles and a spectrum of other surface targets. Typical case mouth pressure of 61,600 psi (425 MPa)
AN149[7] 92 g (1,420 gr) 1,140 m/s (3,740 ft/s) Yellow sabot. Australian Defence Force version of the Mk 149 produced by ADI Limited
PGU-27 TP 97 g (1,500 gr) 1,039 m/s (3,410 ft/s) Blue coloration. Inert training round designed to ballistically match the PGU-28 for the M61, M197, and XM301
PGU-28[8] SAPHEI 102 g (1,570 gr) 10 g (150 gr) RDX HE 1,050 m/s (3,440 ft/s) Yellow body with metallic tip, red and black bands. Multi-purpose round derived from the M56 round designed to improve armor-penetrating and ballistic capabilities while retaining high explosive and incendiary effects. Designed in the mid-1980s primarily for a light ground attack role in the M61 and M197 guns, but has found success in the air-to-air role for some other weapons as well PGU-28A/B right
PGU-30[9] TP-T 97 g (1,500 gr) — 1,039 m/s (3,410 ft/s) Blue coloration with black T-dotted band. Training round designed to ballistically match the PGU-28 for the M61, M197, and XM301

See also[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 20 x 102 mm.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Williams, Anthony G (January 15, 2013). "Ammunition Data Tables - 20 mm Calibre Cartridges". Military Guns & Ammunition. Solo Publications. Archived from the original on March 30, 2022. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  2. ^ Baugher, Joseph F. (November 5, 1999). "Cannon-Armed F-86Fs". JoeBaugher.com. Contact Privacy Inc. Archived from the original on January 8, 2020. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  3. ^ Anderson, Ben. "20 mm x 102 TP-RRR LD and TP-RRR LD M2". Nammo - Medium Caliber Ammunition. Nammo AS. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  4. ^ Anderson, Ben. "20 mm x 102 MP LD M70 and MP LD M70 A1". Nammo - Medium Caliber Ammunition. Nammo AS. Archived from the original on October 29, 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. ^ Pike, John. "MK149 20mm Armor-Piercing, Discarding Sabot". GlobalSecurity.org - Munitions. GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on April 4, 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  6. ^ Pike, John. "20-millimeter MK 244 APDS". GlobalSecurity.org - Munitions. GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  7. ^ "ADI 20mm Phalanx Ammunition" (PDF). ADI Limited. 2002. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  8. ^ Pike, John. "PGU-27A/B TP/ PGU-28A/B SAPHEI / PGU-30A/B TP-T". GlobalSecurity.org - Munitions. GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on April 21, 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  9. ^ "20MM PGU-30 A/B TP-T" (PDF). General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems - Medium Caliber Ammunition. General Dynamics. June 27, 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
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