GDR 99 - Weapons Systems

Centre of Excellence


Section Articles
• A New Generation of Mortar • Expert Combination: Krauss-Maffei • The Defence Supermarket • Making Tracks: the FCS/Tracer • Centre of Excellence: Mauser • Big Guns Given Greater Mobility • Man With a Plan: Herstal • On Top of the Action: Delco • Crusader on Target in 1999 • Special Application Rifles • Fuchs Fuses for Fighting Forces • Revolutionary: the OICW • Revolution in US Small Arms • SADARM: Smart Submunition
Below: Mauser's RMK-30 recoil-less automatic cannon

Mauser-Werke Oberndorf Waffensysteme GmbH is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rheinmetall Industrie AG, Ratingen, Germany.

Mauser is a proven leader in high-technology defence engineering, and is a centre of excellence in the medium-calibre automatic cannons, cannon systems and ammunitions sector in the Rheinmetall Group.

Mauser's facilities are located at Oberndorf in south-west Germany. The Mauser site is extensively equipped for the design, development, manufacture, testing and support of automatic cannons, cannon systems and ammunitions in the medium-calibre range.

Mauser has been a major supplier to German and NATO forces for the past 25 years, and it is continuing to develop its technologies for an ever-widening range of military applications for national and international customers.

Product range
One of Mauser's main products is the BK 27, an automatic aircraft cannon measuring 27mm x 145mm. It was developed originally for the tri-national Tornado A/C and the Alpha Jet A/C, but recently it has been used in all types of ground, air and sea weapon carrier including the Swedish Gripen and the Eurofighter 2000. Mauser has developed the respective ammunition family and is the main contractor for NATO customers.

In 1996 Mauser began to develop a new naval gun system for the German navy that is to replace existing 20mm and 40mm mounts. In August 1998 Mauser was awarded the contract for the final system development including 27mm FAPDS ammunition. Among its wide range of products, Mauser also offers a powerful and unparalleled 30mm automatic cannon, the MK 30 x 173.

New gun system



Link: www.mauser-online.com

In 1996 Santa Barbara Blindados of Spain awarded Mauser a supply contract for the MK 30 to be installed in the Spanish army's new infantry fighting vehicle Pizarro. In addition to its use in naval mounts, similar to those for the French navy, the MK 30 has potential as an armament for infantry fighting vehicles.

Since the beginning of the 1990s Mauser has been working on a revolutionary new development called the RMK 30, a recoil-less automatic cannon. Initiated by the German Ministry of Defence, the concept for this new gun has been realised, particularly for helicopters and light vehicles. By the end of 1996 the new gun system was proven with a prototype and currently a complete gun/ turret system for helicopters is in development. In addition, the German government has nominated Mauser as the main contractor for medium-calibre ammunition such as the 35mm FAPDS.

The defence industry demands the most exacting standards from those who supply its hardware and technology. For decades Mauser has been setting and meeting those standards, and its commitment to continuous improvement will ensure that it does so in the future. In the future Mauser will continue to pursue innovative policies as it develops new products for new markets to the same high standards.