Type 2 20 mm AA machine cannon

The Type 2 20 mm AA machine cannon was a Japanese-designed anti-aircraft gun. It entered service in 1942.

Type 2 20 mm AA machine cannon
Type	Autocannon
Place of origin	Empire of Japan
Service history
In service	1942–1945[1]
Used by	Imperial Japanese Army
Wars	World War II
Production history
Produced	1942–1945[1]
No. built	16[2]
Variants	20 mm Twin AA machine cannon[1]
Specifications
Mass	550 kg (1,210 lb)[1]
Barrel length	1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) L/70[1]
Shell	20 x 142 mm
Caliber	20 mm (0.79 in)[1]
Barrels	1[1]
Action	Gas operated
Elevation	-15° to +95°[1]
Traverse	360°[1]
Rate of fire	420 to 480 rounds/min (maximum)[3]
Muzzle velocity	950 m/s (3,100 ft/s)[1]
Maximum firing range	5,500 m (18,000 ft) (horizontal) 3,500 m (11,500 ft) (altitude)[1]
Feed system	20 round box

Design

Introduced in 1942, compared to the earlier Type 98 20 mm AA machine cannon, Type 2 20 mm had higher maximum rate of fire, could be elevated to 95 degrees and had a central fire-control system.^[3] The central fire-control system developed for the Type 2 could control and direct six of the guns at once. The gun was based on the German 2 cm Flak 30/38/Flakvierling.^[1] It was driven by electric motors, obtaining its power from a generator trailer.^[4] The Type 2 number was designated for the year the gun was accepted, 2602 in the Japanese imperial year calendar, or 1942 in the Gregorian calendar.^[5]

Variant

Type 2 20 mm twin AA machine cannon

Two of the guns mounted together formed a variant known as the Type 2 20 mm twin AA machine cannon. The prototype Type 98 20 mm AAG tank was equipped with this twin Type 2 variant as its main armament. The Type 98 20 mm AAG tank did not enter production.^[6]