The GIAT M693 is a French 20 mm autocannon family developed for armored-vehicle, anti-aircraft, and naval mount applications. Specialist references trace the gun to the earlier M621 mechanism but a larger 20x139 mm NATO cartridge, dual-belt feed, and about 900 rounds per minute. The catalog keeps it as a relationship-only component page because public sources most clearly document the M693 through host platforms and derivatives: AMX-10P vehicles, naval 20F2 mounts, Narwhal 20B turrets, and the South African GI2 production variant.
| Designation | Context | Sourced distinction |
|---|---|---|
| M693 / 20M693 | French gun family | Baseline 20x139 mm autocannon family used in vehicle, anti-aircraft, and naval applications. |
| 20F2 | Navalized derivative | NavWeaps treats 20F2 as the navalized GIAT CN-MIT 20 M693 with a French Navy service date in 1983. |
| GI2 | South African production variant | Weaponsystems.net identifies the Ratel 20's 20 mm Vektor GI2 as the South African production variant of the French M693. |
| Narwhal 20B | Remote naval turret application | KNDS ties the 20x139 mm ammunition standard to 20M693 mounted on Narwhal; the full turret is cataloged separately. |
Open sources use M693 for the French gun family, 20F2 for the navalized French service derivative, and GI2 for the South African production variant.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| M693 | Baseline 20x139 mm autocannon | Weaponsystems.net describes the M693 as the French vehicle and anti-aircraft gun family derived from the earlier M621 mechanism but adapted to 20x139 mm ammunition and dual-belt feed. Sources: Weaponsystems.net 20mm Giat M693 |
| 20F2 | Navalized French service derivative | NavWeaps identifies 20F2 as the navalized version of the GIAT CN-MIT 20 M693 and gives 1983 as its French Navy service date. Sources: France 20 mm/90 GIAT M693 and 20 mm/73 GIAT M621 - NavWeaps |
 | Remote naval turret application | KNDS ammunition material says its 20x139 mm family is qualified on the 20M693 mounted on the Narwhal turret; the separate Narwhal catalog page covers the full remote weapon station. Sources: 20x139MM | KNDS Group |
| GI2 | South African production variant | Weaponsystems.net identifies the Ratel 20's Vektor GI2 autocannon as the South African production variant of the French M693. Sources: Weaponsystems.net Ratel 20 |
The bare cannon is documented through vehicle turrets, naval mounts, and remote weapon stations rather than as an independently fielded weapon page.
| Carrier | Carrier type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Tracked infantry fighting vehicle | ODIN and Weaponsystems.net identify the standard AMX-10P turret with a GIAT M693 automatic cannon as its 20 mm main armament. Sources: AMX-10P French Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle - ODIN, Weaponsystems.net 20mm Giat M693 |
| Naval remote weapon station | KNDS identifies 20x139 mm ammunition as qualified on 20M693 mounted on Narwhal, while Seaforces describes Narwhal 20B as the M693-based 20x139 mm version. Sources: 20x139MM | KNDS Group, Seaforces KNDS Nexter Narwhal-20 Naval Remote Weapon Station |
 | Offshore patrol vessel class | Army Recognition says La Confiance mounts a Nexter Narwhal 20 mm remote weapon station at the bow; the Narwhal 20B lane links that shipboard installation to the M693/20x139 mm configuration. Sources: French Navy Guyana-based Light Patrol Vessel PLG La Confiance is now on active duty, 20x139MM | KNDS Group |
 | Aviso / light corvette | NavWeaps lists the D'Estienne d'Orves class among French Navy ship classes fitted with the navalized 20F2 derivative of the GIAT M693 family. Sources: France 20 mm/90 GIAT M693 and 20 mm/73 GIAT M621 - NavWeaps |
 | Surveillance frigate | NavWeaps identifies the navalized 20F2 version of the GIAT M693 family and lists the Floréal class among the ship classes fitted with it. Sources: France 20 mm/90 GIAT M693 and 20 mm/73 GIAT M621 - NavWeaps |
 | Minehunter class | ODIN documents Éridan class minehunters with one 20 mm modèle F2 gun for close-range self-defense. Sources: Éridan class minehunter - ODIN |
The M693 shares its operating lineage with the lighter M621 but is separated by ammunition family and host applications.
| Compatible item | Item type | Compatibility evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Earlier 20x102 mm autocannon family | Weaponsystems.net describes the M693 as based on the earlier M621 mechanism while using the more powerful 20x139 mm round and a dual-belt feed. Sources: Weaponsystems.net 20mm Giat M693 |
The M693 is clearest as a gun core used inside larger systems. Public sources support its design lineage, ammunition, and host platforms, while conflict evidence is stronger at the complete vehicle or turret level.
Weaponsystems.net traces the M693 to the earlier M621 mechanism but separates it by the more powerful 20x139 mm round and dual-belt feed.
ODIN identifies the AMX-10P's standard turret with the GIAT M693, while NavWeaps and KNDS connect the family to 20F2 naval mounts and Narwhal 20B.
The AMX-10P and Narwhal pages can carry their own conflict rows when direct sources support those complete systems. This component record does not copy those rows without a source naming the M693 itself in the exact conflict context.
Sources: Weaponsystems.net 20mm Giat M693; AMX-10P French Amphibious Infantry Fighting Vehicle - ODIN; France 20 mm/90 GIAT M693 and 20 mm/73 GIAT M621 - NavWeaps; 20x139MM | KNDS Group.
Weaponsystems.net describes the M693 as a French autocannon developed in the 1960s for vehicle armament and anti-aircraft use.
Sources: Weaponsystems.net 20mm Giat M693
Weaponsystems.net lists 1970s service entry and production from the 1970s to the present, with GIAT/Nexter and South African Vektor production context.
Sources: Weaponsystems.net 20mm Giat M693
NavWeaps identifies the 20F2 as the navalized M693 family gun and gives 1983 as its entry into French Navy service.
Sources: France 20 mm/90 GIAT M693 and 20 mm/73 GIAT M621 - NavWeaps
KNDS current product material identifies 20x139 mm ammunition as qualified on the 20M693 mounted on Narwhal and compatible with NATO equivalent 20x139 mm weapon systems.
Sources: 20x139MM | KNDS Group
