Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is a division of German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall, created when the company's Oerlikon Contraves unit was renamed on 1 January 2009 and integrated with Rheinmetall's other air-defence products. Oerlikon Contraves was a Swiss anti-aircraft artillery manufacturer famous for its adaptation of the 1916 20 mm Becker as the Oerlikon 20 mm autocannon design, which was used in the Second World War and still in use today. Copies and derivatives of these designs were made by German, French, British, and Japanese weapon manufacturers. Oerlikon Contraves was purchased by Rheinmetall in 1999.
Rheinmetall Air Defence office at the arms factory in Zürich-Oerlikon
Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
The Skyranger 30 is the Rheinmetall's latest mobile airdefence system
Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon
Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon
The Becker Type M2 20 mm cannon was a German autocannon developed for aircraft use during World War I by Stahlwerke Becker. It was first mass-produced in 1916 and was installed in a variety of aircraft. It was the only German autocannon to see service in the air during the war.
An artist's rendering of a Becker antiaircraft gun
Oskar Ursinus operated a 20 mm Becker cannon in the front cockpit of a Gotha G.I
