Howa Type 20 Explained

Howa Type 20
Type:Assault rifle
Origin:Japan
Is Ranged:yes
Service:2019–present
Used By:Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Designer:Harada Toshihiko (Original design)[1]
Kei Koyama (Original design)
Koji Iwata (Original & current design)[2]
Kazuhiro Kuroda (Original & current design)
Design Date:2015
Manufacturer:Howa
Unit Cost:$2,600
Production Date:2020–present
Length: (stock collapsed)
(stock extended)
Cartridge:5.56×45mm NATO
Action:Gas operated short stroke piston
Rate:650–850 rounds/min[3]
Velocity:850m/s
Range:500m
Feed:30 round 5.56x45mm STANAG magazine
Sights:Iron sights
Opticial sights can be mounted on rail

The, referred to as the,[4] is an assault rifle developed for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force by Howa.

The first examples were purchased in 2019, and it is intended to eventually replace the Howa Type 89 in general service.[5]

History

On May 18 2020, the Ministry of Defense announced that the rifle would be designated as the Type 20.[6] It was also announced that the Type 20 will first be issued to soldiers in the Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade.

In the DSEI 2023 convention, Howa Deputy General Manager Kimura stated some foreign countries have inquired about possibly getting the Type 20 and the matter was referred to Japan's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) and Howa representatives.[7]

The Type 20 was seen overseas for the first time in Operation Talisman Sabre, which took place from July to August 2023 with the ARDB.[8]

Development

In August 2014, it was reported that the JGSDF was looking for a new rifle to replace the Type 89. Initial candidates to replace the Type 89s include the Heckler & Koch G36, Heckler & Koch HK416, Steyr AUG, FN SCAR, and a new rifle developed by Howa.[9]

In 2015, the Japanese Ministry of Defense procured various foreign made rifles for testing purposes and contracted with Howa to test their domestic rifle. The procurement contract is shown as:[10]

2014 Monthly contract information / voluntary contract (above standard) (Excel file) (Translated to English)! Name !! Quantity !! Contract day !! Price (¥)
Small arms (for testing) (M type)31/29/20155,853,600
Small arms (for test) (S type, 516)82/2/201512,798,000
Small arms (for testing) (S type, 716)72/2/201511,394,000
Test small arms (domestic)12/23/201598,425,800
Small arms (for testing) (G type, V)53/13/20152,311,200
Small arms (for testing) (HK type)53/13/20156,858,000
Small arms (for testing) (SC type, H)53/31/20155,508,000
Small arms (for test) (SC type, L)53/31/20154,398,840
The small arms "S type, 516 and 716" are the SIG516 and SIG716, "G type, V" is the G36V, "HK type" is likely the HK416 or HK417, and "SC type, H and L" is the SCAR-H and SCAR-L. It is unknown what rifle is small arms "M type".

At the same time, Howa filed a patent on the design for their rifle on 15 May 2015. Furthermore, the design was patented under Japan's Design Act (Article 14) which allows the design to be kept in secret for up to three years.[1] [11] An updated design was later patented under the same law on 25 September 2015.[2]

In 2018, the Ministry of Defense procured another batch of small arms for testing. The procurement contract is shown as:

2018 Monthly contract information / voluntary contract (above standard) (Excel file) (Translated to English)! Name !! Quantity !! Contract day !! Price (¥)
Test small arms (YS type)85/30/201810,411,200
Test small arms (K type)86/1/201850,137,920
Test small arms (YH type)87/10/201814,715,000

The rifles were later revealed to be the Type 20 (then designated as HOWA 5.56), HK416 and SCAR-L following an announcement on 6 December 2019 that the Type 20 has been selected over the other two rifles.[12] A follow-up report stated that two evaluations were conducted on the rifle in 2018. The first evaluation focused on the weapon's performance on land such as effective range and accuracy. The second evaluation compared the weapon's performance, logistics and cost to the other two rifles.

Since all three rifles satisfied the JGSDF's requirements, the Type 20 was selected due to having the highest score based on the second evaluation. The unit price for mass production is stated to be at ¥280,000 including maintenance and operation costs. The estimated life cycle cost is ¥43.9 billion if 150,000 units are procured.[13]

The first batch of rifles (3,283 units) were purchased for ¥900 million in the FY 2020 defense budget,[14] equivalent to $2,600 per rifle.[15]

As of 2023, the Type 20's prototype was placed on display at the JGSDF Ordnance School.[8]

Design

The Type 20 is said by the Ministry of Defense to possess better environment durability, fire power and extensibility over the Type 89. This is needed as water-resistance is essential for amphibious operations in the southwestern islands of Japan. One key difference it has over the Type 89 is the addition of multiple rails, making it the first Japanese rifle to have this feature as a standard design. The magazine is also believed to be STANAG compatible. The rifle features a telescoping stock, vertical forward grip, an ambidextrous safety selector, and operates via short-stroke piston. Compared to its original design, the current design of the Type 20 retains much of the same characteristics with only some notable changes. The barrel length has been shortened slightly and the hand guard has been redesigned to feature an M-LOK rail design.[16] The side rails have been extended, foldable iron sights were added and the stock features a shoulder pad similar to the one seen on the HK416.

Because of the radical and modern design shift the rifle has over its predecessor, there are some speculations on how it got its design. One speculation is that the design was possibly influenced by various foreign made rifles; as Japan has experience procuring and utilizing a number of foreign rifles, i.e. the Special Forces Group. As such, the design of the Type 20 has been compared to the Heckler & Koch HK433; with some observers believing the rifle possesses similar dimensions and functionality to the SCAR. Another design influence is speculated to come from the experience Howa has gained from developing the ACIES variants of the Type 89.[17]

The rifle weighs 3.5 kg and has a total length between 780 mm to 850 mm depending on the extension of the stock. The barrel length is 330 mm. Unlike the Type 89, the Type 20 did not adopt the three round burst select fire, as it was deemed unnecessary.[18] The rifle is compatible with an underbarrel bayonet, and, according to a Ministry of Defense press conference, the rifle can be used with the Beretta GLX-160 grenade launcher. The GLX-160 in Japanese service will be modified so that it can be mounted underneath the barrel.[7] The rifle was also showcased with a foregrip that features a miniature bipod and a DEON MARCH 8x optical sight.

The Type 20 was made to be ambidextrous for the user to fire via left or right shoulder.[7] It is also made to be resistant to corrosion for exposure to seawater.[7]

The weapon fires the J-3 high-power cartridge, a 5.56 mm round developed specifically for the Type 20. It weighs 12 g (0.4 oz) and is made from steel and red brass using double-base powder propelling a bullet with a monolithic, high-strength material core. The J-3 was made to be powerful enough to penetrate modern body armor despite the rifle's relatively short barrel length.[8]

Users

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 意匠登録1526204. 2015. J-PlatPat. 1 April 2020.
  2. Web site: 意匠登録1558395. 2015. J-Platpat. 1 April 2020.
  3. Web site: DSEI Japan 2023: JGSDF's New Howa Type 20 Rifle on Display. The Firearm Blog . 23 March 2023. 24 March 2023.
  4. Web site: 20式5.56mm小銃. ja. Oct 4, 2022.
  5. Web site: Moss. Matthew. FIRST LOOK: Japan's New Type 20 Rifle. The Firearm Blog. 18 May 2020.
  6. Web site: 陸自、水に強い小銃「20式」導入 31年ぶりに更新:朝日新聞デジタル . Asahi . Japanese.
  7. https://www.overtdefense.com/2023/03/24/dsei-japan-2023-jgsdfs-new-type-20-howa-rifle-on-display/
  8. https://sadefensejournal.com/japans-new-type-20-assault-rifle/ FIRST LOOK: Japan’s New Type 20 Assault Rifle
  9. News: 19 August 2014 . 陸上自衛隊、新型小銃の導入を検討へ . Japanese . JGSDF considers introduction of new rifle . Tokyo D&A Review . 12 March 2020.
  10. Web site: 契約に係る情報の公表(中央調達分) . Disclosure of information on contracts (for central procurement) . 15 March 2020 . Ministry of Defense (Japan) . Japanese.
  11. Web site: Design Act. Japanese Law Translation. 31 March 2020.
  12. News: 6 December 2019 . 新小銃・新拳銃の決定について . Japanese . Ministry of Defense (Japan) . 30 January 2020.
  13. News: 26 December 2019 . 新たな重要装備品等の選定結果について . Japanese . Ministry of Defense (Japan) . 17 March 2020.
  14. Web site: August 2019 . Defense Programs and Budget of Japan (Draft): Overview of JFY2020 Budget . https://web.archive.org/web/20200603132250/https://www.mod.go.jp/e/d_act/d_budget/pdf/200225b.pdf . 3 June 2020 . 2 March 2022 . Ministry of Defense (Japan) . 20.
  15. Web site: McCurdy. Christen. Japanese military to receive new rifles for the first time since 1989. 2022-01-24. UPI. en.
  16. Web site: 11 December 2019 . 陸上自衛隊の新小銃(HOWA 5.56)・新拳銃(H&K SFP9)が決定! . 2 April 2020 . hyperdouraku . Japanese.
  17. News: Nash . Ed . 11 December 2019 . Japanese Self Defence Force Selects New Rifle and Pistol; New MG Also Likely . Military Matters . 20 March 2020.
  18. News: Kiyotani . Shinichi . 21 May 2020 . 防衛省、陸自の新小銃と新拳銃公開 . Japanese . Ministry of Defense releases new rifle and new pistol of GSDF . Japan In-depth . 20 March 2021.
  19. Web site: Japanese ground forces get new small arms. Asian Military Review. 27 May 2020.