Denel NTW-20

The NTW 20 is a high caliber; anti-material sniper rifle intended to provide the capabilities of a cannon. Designed by Tony Neophytou a South African arms designer in the mid 1990s, the NTW was intended for use as a long-range anti-material rifle with substantial firepower and a fair degree of accuracy. The South African Defense Forces inducted this rifle in 1998, as it is well suited to reach out and strike long distances on the vast, uninterrupted savannah in that part of the continent. Defense forces around the world have been reluctant to adopt rifles using 20 mm ammunition, primarily because of its lack of portability, as it is hard to reconcile the weight with the need to manage recoil and accuracy. The NTW solves this by using a three-part recoil management system and by providing two carry bags in which the gun can be carried- one bag to carry the frame, stock, butt and bipod and the other to carry the barrel, sighting and magazines. Both these bags weigh approx. 15 kgs and can be easily carried by men. Apart from the SADF the rifle is also in service with Indian Special Forces.

The NTW can be quickly adapted to use 14.5 mm armor piercing ammunitions as well making it very effective against armored vehicles as well as other relatively soft targets at longer ranges. The NTW 20 is capable of firing explosive ordinance and the 20mm warhead can deliver a substantial payload. This is highly effective against vehicles, choppers, parked or low flying aircraft as well as other targets such as high value installations. Though the accuracy of the weapon is around 2 MOA and can only produce groups of 8cm at 150 meters, it does not need to be any more accurate as it is not really intended for anti-personnel use. The nature of targets, velocity, power and explosive and fragmenting qualities of its ammunition do not necessitate any more accuracy. The switch between calibers is facilitated by changing the barrel, bolt, magazine and sighting and can be accomplished in under a minute even in battlefield conditions. The barrel for the 14.5 mm version is slightly longer than the barrel of the 20 mm version.

The NTW is a simple, low maintenance rifle manually operated, rotating bolt-action rifle. The complexity and high cost of an automatic weapon are not needed in operating single shot high caliber weapon with a three round magazine. A rotating bolt with 6 lugs locks the barrel of the gun. The barrel and receiver recoil inside the lightweight cradle or chassis as part of the recoil management system. The three-part system consists of the hydraulic damper, spring buffer and double baffle muzzle brake. The first system that kicks into action is the hydraulic damper followed by the spring buffer and finally the muzzle brake making the final effect more like a shove rather than a sharp kick. The muzzle brake also helps to moderate the sound of the blast as well as the dust signature.

The maximum effective range for the 20 mm is 1500 meters with muzzle velocity of 720 m/sec and for the 14.5 mm is 2300 meters with muzzle velocity of 1800 m/sec. The weight of the 20 mm is 26 kgs, which is slightly less than that for the 14.5 mm, which is 29 kg due to the fact that the barrel is longer in the 14.5 mm. Both versions are fed from a detachable box magazine holding 3 rounds to supplement the round in the chamber. Ammunition used is 20 x 83.5 mm MG151 or 14.5 x 114 mm Russian.