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The ”’MKE 120 MM 44C”'<ref>{{cite web |title=Medium and Heavy Weapons |url=https://www.mke.gov.tr/Catalog/MEDIUM-AND-HEAVY-WEAPONS/3 |website=Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) |publisher=MKE |access-date=4 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref> is a 120 mm smoothbore tank gun manufactured by the Turkish state-controlled defense company Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE) (and marketed by MKE USA). It is primarily designed as a main armament upgrade for the M60 Patton series of main battle tanks, specifically for modernization programs such as the M60T Sabra, replacing the original 105 mm M68 rifled gun to provide NATO-standard firepower. |
The ”’MKE 120 MM 44C”'<ref>{{cite web |title=Medium and Heavy Weapons |url=https://www.mke.gov.tr/Catalog/MEDIUM-AND-HEAVY-WEAPONS/3 |website=Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) |publisher=MKE |access-date=4 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref> is a 120 mm smoothbore tank gun manufactured by the Turkish state-controlled defense company Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE) (and marketed by MKE USA). It is primarily designed as a main armament upgrade for the M60 Patton series of main battle tanks, specifically for modernization programs such as the M60T Sabra, replacing the original 105 mm M68 rifled gun to provide NATO-standard firepower. |
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==Design and development== |
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The weapon system was developed to enhance the firepower of legacy M60 tanks, allowing them to engage modern armored threats effectively. The gun features a 44-caliber barrel, consistent with the widely used Rheinmetall Rh-120 L/44 standard found on tanks like the Leopard 2 and M1A1 Abrams. |
The weapon system was developed to enhance the firepower of legacy M60 tanks, allowing them to engage modern armored threats effectively. The gun features a 44-caliber barrel, consistent with the widely used Rheinmetall Rh-120 L/44 standard found on tanks like the Leopard 2 and M1A1 Abrams. |
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The barrel is smoothbore and chrome-plated to reduce wear and extend service life while firing high-velocity kinetic energy penetrators. The design allows it to fit within the turret constraints of the M60 tank, which was originally designed for a smaller 105 mm gun. This likely involves a compact recoil system similar to the Israeli IMI MG253, which is the standard armament of the M60T Sabra used by the Turkish Armed Forces. |
The barrel is smoothbore and chrome-plated to reduce wear and extend service life while firing high-velocity kinetic energy penetrators. The design allows it to fit within the turret constraints of the M60 tank, which was originally designed for a smaller 105 mm gun. This likely involves a compact recoil system similar to the Israeli IMI MG253, which is the standard armament of the M60T Sabra used by the Turkish Armed Forces. |
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Revision as of 10:51, 4 December 2025
The MKE 120 MM 44C[2] is a 120 mm smoothbore tank gun manufactured by the Turkish state-controlled defense company Makina ve Kimya Endüstrisi (MKE) (and marketed by MKE USA). It is primarily designed as a main armament upgrade for the M60 Patton series of main battle tanks, specifically for modernization programs such as the M60T Sabra, replacing the original 105 mm M68 rifled gun to provide NATO-standard firepower.
==Design and development==
The weapon system was developed to enhance the firepower of legacy M60 tanks, allowing them to engage modern armored threats effectively. The gun features a 44-caliber barrel, consistent with the widely used Rheinmetall Rh-120 L/44 standard found on tanks like the Leopard 2 and M1A1 Abrams.
The barrel is smoothbore and chrome-plated to reduce wear and extend service life while firing high-velocity kinetic energy penetrators. The design allows it to fit within the turret constraints of the M60 tank, which was originally designed for a smaller 105 mm gun. This likely involves a compact recoil system similar to the Israeli IMI MG253, which is the standard armament of the M60T Sabra used by the Turkish Armed Forces.
Specifications
The system is designed to operate in extreme environmental conditions, ranging from -45°C to +70°C.
Ammunition
The 120 mm M60 Weapon System is compatible with standard NATO 120 mm smoothbore ammunition. MKE produces several specific rounds for use with this system and the longer L/55 gun used on the Altay tank:
APFSDS-T: Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot with Tracer (Anti-armor).
HEAT-MP-T: High-Explosive Anti-Tank Multi-Purpose with Tracer (Anti-armor/bunker).
HE-T: High-Explosive with Tracer (Anti-personnel/soft target).
TANOK: A 120 mm laser-guided anti-tank missile (manufactured by Roketsan) compatible with the gun.
The gun can fire various types of tank ammunitions including MKE made APFSDS-T, TPCSDS-T Training and High Pressure.[3] The gun is also able to fire Roketsan made TANOK gun-launched 120 mm laser guided anti-tank missile with range of 1-6 km.[4]
See also
Weapons of comparable role, performance and era
- L11A5 120 mm rifled gun: British rifled equivalent, developed by Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment (RARDE) in 1957.
- 2A46 125 mm gun: Russian 125-mm equivalent, developed by Spetstekhnika Design Bureau in 1960s.
- Rheinmetall 120 mm gun: German equivalent, developed by Rheinmetall in 1974.
- CN120-25 120 mm gun: French equivalent, developed by Établissement d’Études et de Fabrication d’Armements de Bourges (EFAB) in 1979.
- EXP-28M1 120 mm rifled tank gun: Experimental British weapon of the late 1970s/early 1980s. Was to have equipped the MBT-80.
- CN120-26 120 mm gun: French equivalent, developed by EFAB in 1980s.
- IMI 120 mm gun: Israeli equivalent, developed by Israeli Military Industries in 1988.
- OTO Breda 120 mm gun: Italian equivalent, developed by OTO Melara in 1988.
- L30A1 120 mm rifled gun: British rifled equivalent, developed by ROF Nottingham in 1989.
- JSW 120 mm gun: Japanese equivalent, developed by Japan Steel Works in 2008.
- 2A82-1M 125 mm gun: New Russian 125-mm equivalent, developed by Uralvagonzavod in 2014.
