The Rikhter R-23 is a Soviet 23mm autocannon that was developed for the Soviet Air Force in the late 1950s. It was designed to be as short as possible to avoid problems caused by the high-speed airflow around the gun barrel. The R-23 is a gas-operated revolver cannon that uses gas bled from holes in the barrel to rotate the four-chamber cylinder. It can fire up to 2,500 rounds per minute, making it the fastest firing single-barrel cannon ever introduced into service. These autocannons use experimental 23x260mm telescoped ammunition, which reduces the overall length of the cartridge. Not many of these were fabricated and are largely being replaced by the more widely produced Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23.