History

The need for a newer 20 mm defence cannon than the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

Oerlikon 20 mm cannon

The Oerlikon 20 mm cannon is a series of autocannons, based on an original design by Reinhold Becker of Germany, very early in World War I, and widely produced by Oerlikon Contraves and others...

 began to grow noticeably during the 1980s. The companies DCN and GIAT

Giat

Giat is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme department in Auvergne in central France.-Geography:The Chavanon flows southeastward through the south-western part of the commune.-References:*...

 were contracted to design the F2 20 mm cannon, which essentially a navalised version of the M693 gun used by the French Army, and sold for export.

Description

The 20 mm F2 is a mounted monotube gun, with two 150-cartridge boxes on each side of the piece. An electrical control system allows a choice of three modes of fire: single shot, eight-shot burst, or free fire. There is an electrical trigger in the right hand of the gunner. A manual selector allows to change the box feeding the weapon during the firing, making mixed firing available. After each shot, the empty cartridge is ejected from beneath the weapon.

The gun is manoeuvred by the body of the gunner, who is attached to the weapon. The fire is directed through an optical visor used on the Bofors 40 mm gun

Bofors 40 mm gun

The Bofors 40 mm gun is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed by the Swedish defence firm of Bofors Defence...

 and on the Oerlikon 20 mm cannon as well.

Usage

The gun has been exported to Belgium (Tripartite minesweepers), Indonesia (Tripartite minesweepers), Malawi (Kasunga), Netherlands (Tripartite minesweepers), Pakistan (Tripartite minesweepers), and Saudi Arabia (NAJA 12 class).

In the French Navy, they are used on

• Charles De Gaulle nuclear aircraft carrier
• Horizon class frigate
  Horizon class frigate
  The Horizon Common New Generation Frigate is a multi-national collaboration to produce a new generation of anti-air warfare frigates. Originally an alliance of Britain, France and Italy, the project is now a French/Italian effort following the withdrawal of Britain due to differing requirements...
  
  
• La Fayette class frigates
  La Fayette class frigate
  The La Fayette class units are light multi-mission frigates built by DCN and operated by French Marine Nationale...
  
  
• Floréal class frigate
  Floréal class frigate
  The Floréal class is a type of light "surveillance frigates" designed for the needs of the French Navy after the end of the Cold War, ordered in 1989. They use construction standards of commercial ships...
  
  s
• Aviso
  Aviso
  An aviso , a kind of dispatch boat or advice boat, survives particularly in the French navy, they are considered equivalent to the modern sloop....
  
  s of the D'Estienne d'Orves
  D'Estienne d'Orves class
  The A69 type Avisos are small warships mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions . Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions...
  
   type
• Eridan class minesweepers
• P400 class patrol vessel
  P400 class patrol vessel
  The P400 patrol ships are small vessels of the French Navy. They were designed to accomplish police operations in the large French Exclusive Economic Zone....
  
  s
• Dumont D'Urville
• Jacques Cartier
• La Grandière
• Rapière
• Hallebarde
• Monge