| Mauser BK-27 | |
|---|---|
) The Mauser BK-27 | |
| Type | Revolver cannon |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See users |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Mauser (now Rheinmetall) |
| Designed | 1976 |
| Manufacturer | Mauser (now Rheinmetall) |
| Produced | 1977–present |
| No. built | 3,100~ |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 100 kg (220 lb 7 oz) |
| Length | 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in) |
| Barrel length | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) |
| Shell | 27×145 mm |
| Caliber | 27 mm (1.063 in) caliber |
| Barrels | Single barrel |
| Action | five-chamber revolver |
| Rate of fire | 1,000–1,700 rpm (+/− 100 rpm), selectable |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,100 m/s (3,600 ft/s)[1] |
| Maximum firing range | Air targets: 2,500 meters Surface targets: 4,000 meters High speed naval targets: 2,500 meters |
The BK 27 (also BK27 or BK-27) (German acronym for Bordkanone, "on-board cannon") is a 27 mm (1.063 in) caliber revolver cannon manufactured by Mauser (now part of Rheinmetall) of Germany. It was developed in the late 1960s for the MRCA (Multi Role Combat Aircraft) program that ultimately became the Panavia Tornado.[2]
The BK 27 is a gas-operated cannon firing a new series of 27×145 mm cartridges with a typical projectile weight of 260 g (9.2 oz), and a total weight for the complete round of 516 g (1.14 lb).[1] Most models use a linked feed system for the ammunition; however, the Eurofighter Typhoon makes use of a specially developed variant of the BK 27 that uses a linkless feed system instead, which is intended to improve reliability.[2]
Design
The Mauser BK 27 is used in the Panavia Tornado, the Alpha Jet, the JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. At one time Lockheed Martin was considering a licensed-built version for the F-35 Lightning II.[3]
Rheinmetall has also developed remote controlled naval versions, the MN 27 GS and the MLG 27 fully automatic naval guns, which are installed on many ships of the German Navy. Ninety-nine MLG 27s have been ordered by the German Navy so far.[4] The cannon is a single-barrel, high performance, breech-cylinder gun operated by a fully automatic electrically fired gas-operated system at a selective rate of 1000 or 1700 rounds per minute(+/− 100 rpm).[2] The Mauser BK 27 utilizes pyrotechnic cocking charges to cycle the action.
The BK27 has a 3-4 times lower nominal fire rate than the M61 Vulcan, but its fire rate is constant throughout firing because the cannon do not need to start spinning the barrel/barrels. As a result, in conjunction with the higher caliber, the Mauser BK 27 fires in the first 0.5 s 4 kg of projectiles in contrast to the 2 kg of the M61 Vulcan which also needs about 25 kW electrical power on the maximum fire rate.
The gun mainly fires mine shells as these have the best effect against aircraft, there are also several types of armor piercing shells like the frangible armour piercing shell named Fap 27 mm x 145 mm ammunition/peb327 (DM103).
Users
)
)
- Algerian Navy[5]
- Bolivian Air Force
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- Discovery Air Defence Services
- German Air Force
- German Navy
Hungary
Saudi Arabia
- Swedish Air Force (under the designation 27 mm automatkanon m/85, 27 mm akan m/85)
Thailand
- United Arab Emirates Navy
Specifications
)
Data from Jane's Information Group[2]
- Type: single-barrel, five chamber revolver cannon
- Caliber: 27 mm × 145 (1.063 in)
- Operation: revolver
- Length: 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in)
- Weight (complete): 100 kg (220 lb)
- Rate of fire: 1,000-1,700 rpm selectable (+/− 100 rpm)
- Muzzle velocity: 1,100 m/s (3,600 ft/s)
- Muzzle energy: ~157,300 Joules
- Projectile weight: 260 g (9.2 oz)
See also
- ADEN cannon – comparable British design
- DEFA cannon – comparable French design
- R-23 cannon – comparable Russian design
- M39 cannon – comparable US design
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d Ian, V. Hogg; Terry, J. Gander (1998). "Cannon - 20 to 30 mm cannon: 27 x 145 B ammunition (Switzerland)". Jane's Ammunition Handbook. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 9780710617897.
- ^ Lockheed Martin favours German cannon for JSF
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-12-04. Retrieved 2010-05-26.
- ^ "Algerian National Navy, Algeria Naval forces, القوات البحرية الجزائرية, naval defence industry, navy technology, frigates, corvettes, submarines, systems". Navyrecognition.com. 2012-07-25. Retrieved 2019-02-05.
- ^ "Saab Presents First Gripen E to Brazil". Saab. 10 September 2019.
External links
- Website of Rheinmetall Defence
- Marineleichtgeschütz MLG 27 (Website from constructor)
- Mauser BK 27 on WaffenHQ
- Webseite of the EF2000
- RAF page on BK 27