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. Rheinmetall made bomb fuses during World War 2, notably a double-capacitor design which was particularly dangerous to defuse should the bomb not explode on impact. Many bomb disposal personnel were killed. 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. 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.
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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
Gallery
 PzH 2000 of the German Army |
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 MLG 27 onboard an Elbe class tender of the German Navy |
In fiction
The Rheinmetall company name appears in some science fiction role-playing games, including Cyberpunk 2020 and the Computer role-playing game Fallout.
External links
 MDAX companies of Germany |
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