Operators
Due to tank sales, Rheinmetall's L/44 tank gun has been manufactured for other nations. For example, the Leopard 2 armed with the 44 caliber long gun, has been sold to the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Austria, Denmark, and other countries. Egypt had manufactured 700–800 M1A1 Abrams by 2005, and in 2008 requested permission to build another 125 tanks; their M256 main guns (the US version of the L/44) were manufactured by Watervliet Arsenal. The M1A1 has also been exported to Australia, while the M1A2 Abrams has been exported to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
| Tank | Designer | Country | Gun | Proliferation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard 2 | Krauss-Maffei | Germany | Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 | Austria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Netherlands (former), Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey |
| M1 Abrams | Chrysler Defense (General Dynamics Land Systems) | United States | M256 | Australia, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia |
| K1A1 | Hyundai Rotem | South Korea | KM256 | |
| Type 90 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries | Japan | Rheinmetall 120 mm L/44 |
The Leopard 2A6 and its longer L/55 main gun have been exported for use by the Canadian Army, and the Netherlands upgraded part of its original fleet of Leopard 2s with the more powerful armament. The British Army has tested Rheinmetall's longer gun, possibly looking to replace the current L30A1 120 mm L/55 rifled main gun on the Challenger 2. Two Challenger 2s were modified to undergo firing trials. World Industries Ace Corporation is also producing the L/55 under license for the K2 Black Panther.
| Tank | Designer | Country | Gun | Proliferation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leopard 2A6 | Krauss-Maffei | Germany | Rheinmetall 120 mm L/55 | Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain |
| K2 Black Panther | Hyundai Rotem | South Korea | World Industries Ace L/55 | |
| Altay | Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation | Turkey | MKEK 120mm L/55 | Turkey |
Read more about this topic: Rheinmetall 120 Mm Gun