Rh 503
The Rh 503 is a single-barrel, externally powered machine gun , developed and presented in 1987 by the German company Rheinmetall Defense .
The Rh 503 is the first externally powered automatic cannon to be developed in Europe . It is neither a chain gun nor a revolver cannon . Previous developments were all self-propelled by gas pressure ( gas pressure charger ). The external drive increases the reliability of the firearm , since non-ignited cartridges are simply ejected and the weapon does not block as with the gas pressure guns . A disadvantage of such a concept is the somewhat higher total weight and the dependency on the energy supply on the on-board systems of the vehicle or aircraft.
In the basic version, the Rh 503 fires ammunition of the NATO caliber 35 × 228 mm. Thanks to the double-caliber design, the weapon system can also fire the 50 × 330 mm cylinder cartridge by changing the barrel. The beltless ammunition feed does not have to be changed either.
The Rh 503 was intended for the Marder 2 infantry fighting vehicle , but it was not built. The weapon was then modified for installation in the predecessor model Marder . An installation in the models of the Bundeswehr did not take place.
Technical specifications
- Type: single-flight double caliber machine gun
- Function: external drive
- Caliber: 35 × 228 mm
- Rate of fire: 150-400 rounds per minute
- Total length: 4731 mm
- Total width: 350 mm
- Total height: 482 mm
- Total weight: 575 kg
- Tube weight: 158 kg
- Recoil force: 40 kN
- Caliber: 50 × 330 mm
- Rate of fire: 150-400 rounds per minute
- Total length: 5716 mm
- Total width: 350 mm
- Total height: 482 mm
- Total weight: 615 kg
- Tube weight: 175 kg
- Recoil force: 65 kN
Web links
- Manufacturer's website ( Memento from March 25, 2007 in the Internet Archive )