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CN120-26

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
CN120-26
close-up view of the CN120-26 muzzle
Typesmoothboretank gun
Place of originFrance
Service history
In service1992-present
Used byFrench Army,United Arab Emirates Army,and theRoyal Jordanian Army
WarsYemeni Civil War
Production history
DesignerEFAB of Bourges
Designed1980s
ManufacturerGiat Industries
Produced1990-2007
No.built800+
Specifications
Mass2740 kg
Length6.931 m (22 ft 8.9 in)
Barrellength6.24 m (20 ft 6 in) or 52 calibers

Shell120×570mm NATO
Calibre120 mm (4.72 in)
Actionautomatic vertical sliding-wedge breech
Breechvertical sliding-wedge
Recoil400 mm
Elevation-8° to +17°
Traverse360°
Rate of fireup to 12 rounds per minute[1]
Muzzle velocity1790 m/s (APFSDS)
Feed systemautoloader
SightsHL 60 or HL 130

TheCN120-26,also simply referred to asModèle F1(F1 model) is a Frenchsmoothbore120mmtank gunof 52 calibers designed by the EFAB ofBourgesand produced byGiat Industries.

Description

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The 120 mm smoothbore gun F1 has been designed for installation in theLeclercmain battle tank. The smooth-bore gun is chrome-plated, fitted with athermal sleeveand has a vertical sliding breech mechanism. It is also fitted with amuzzle reference system(MRS) and the tropicalized variant of the Leclerc is fitted with a compressed air system for removing propellant fumes.[2]

In the Leclerc application, the gun is fed by a 22-rounds bustle-mounted automatic loader designed byCreusot-Loire Industries. The 120 mm F1 gun fires the same120×570mmammunition as the GermanRh-120and American M256 smoothbore guns. The French 120 mm F1 gun is, however, 1 m longer than the L/44 version of the Rh-120, which increases muzzle velocity and armour penetration ofAPFSDSprojectiles; it also gives a longer effective range.[3]

Additional specifications

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  • Maximum service chamber pressure:670 MPa (97,000 psi)[4]
  • Recoil effort at trunnions:550 kN (APFSDS fired at +51 °C)
  • Overall weight:2740 kg
  • Recoiling gun mass:1995 kg

Operators

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Map with CN120-26 operators in blue

Current operators

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See also

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  • CN120-25 120 mm gun:French equivalent, developed by Établissement d'Études et de Fabrication d'Armements de Bourges (EFAB) in 1979.

Weapons of comparable role, performance and era

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References

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  1. ^Ferrard, Stéphane; Gerard, Turbe (1992).The Leclerc System.Bosquet. p. 109.ISBN9781852601416.
  2. ^Chassillan, Marc (2005).Char Leclerc: De la guerre froide aux conflits de demain.Editions Techniques pour l'Automobile et l'Industrie. p. 191.ISBN978-2726894385.
  3. ^Foss, Christopher (1993).Jane's Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems 1993-94.London: ane's Information Group. p. 33.ISBN978-0710610799.
  4. ^"AUSA '86".International Defense Review.19(12). Interavia S.A: 1809. December 1986.ISSN0020-6512.
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