Rheinmetall

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Rheinmetall AG (FWB: RHMG) is a German automotive and defense company with factories in Düsseldorf, Kassel and Unterlüß. It has a long tradition of making guns and artillery pieces. The company is also involved in a variety of advanced metal-working and milling technologies. This has allowed it to provide special high-quality components for small arms in addition to its heavy weapon production.

In 1993 Rheinmetall acquired the Mauser AG and in 1996 and 1999 the majority share-holdings of STN Atlas and Oerlikon Contraves, all of which are major European defense companies. STN Atlas was later split into Atlas Elektronik and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics, the latter is now a full subsidiary of Rheinmetall.

In March 2008, Rheinmetall announced to acquire Dutch defence company Stork PKV.

Rheinmetall made bomb fuses during World War II, notably a double-capacitor design which was particularly dangerous to defuse should the bomb not explode on impact. Many bomb disposal personnel were killed.^{[citation needed]} The patent for the fuse was filed in the UK two years before Hitler came to power and the UK Armed Forces spotted this and the patent then helped enormously with disarming these particular bombs.^{[citation needed]} The US Patent Office put a 32-year secrecy order on a similar patent by the University of Illinois in 1948.

The MG 42, the general-purpose medium machine gun of the Wehrmacht, was also built by Rheinmetall. Its successor, the MG3, is still used by the Bundeswehr.

1 Products
2 Gallery
3 In fiction
4 External links

[edit] Products

7.5cm Kwk 42 (L/70) tank gun that was used in the famed German Panther tank of World War II
88 mm gun - Flak and anti-tank gun of World War II
Rheinmetall M35 - 105mm main gun of the M8-AGS Buford Armoured Gun System
Rheinmetall 120mm Gun - both the L44 an L55 versions which arm the Leopard 2, M1A1 and A2 and Type 90 MBT
Rheinmetall LTA2 - main gun of TAM tank
KZO - tactical UAV
MG3 - 7.62mm universal machine gun
155 mm L52 Artillery Gun - main gun of PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer
MK 20 Rh202 - 20mm autocannon, primary armament of Marder, Luchs and Wiesel armoured fighting vehicles
Rheinmetall 20mm Twin Anti-Aircraft Cannon - anti-aircraft gun
AGF (Light infantry vehicle)
Rheinmetall YAK
GTK Boxer
Puma (IFV)
Mungo ESK
MLG 27 - 27mm remote controlled autocannon, used on many ships of the German Navy
Jacket cradle of Oto Melara
RMK30 a 30 mm recoilless, caseless autocannon
Solothurn S-18/1000 20 mm Anti-Tank rifle
IdZ-ES - The Bundeswehr's Future Soldier program.
Rheinmetall MK 108 well-known WWII 30 mm
Rheinmetall Millenium - 35mm naval revolver gun system