| Mauser BK-27 | |
|---|---|
| 👁 Image The Mauser BK-27 | |
| Type | Revolver cannon |
| Place of origin | Germany |
| Service history | |
| Used by | See operators |
| 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 abbreviation 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 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
[edit]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 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).[citation needed]
Operational history
[edit]In his book Typhoon, former RAF pilot Mike Sutton reported his 27 mm cannon jamming during a strafing run in Syria while supporting Allied ground units against ISIS targets. According to his book, the Typhoon was to be built, originally, without an internal gun, like the F-4 Phantom and the Harrier. However, while a decision was made to install an internal gun, this led to "manufacturing issues". Sutton claimed that during his strafing run the gun jammed after "twenty-six rounds", the HUD showing "GUN FAIL". During the debrief this problem was well known to both the pilots and ground crews. One pilot told Sutton: "They said that issue had been fixed", to which Sutton replied "Exactly. We've been here before."[5]
Operators
[edit]
Current operators
[edit]- 👁 Image
Algeria - Algerian Navy[6]
- 👁 Image
Austria - Austrian Air Force:[7]
- 👁 Image
Brazil - Brazilian Air Force:
- 👁 Image
Brunei - Royal Brunei Navy
- 4 × Darussalam class with 1 × MLG27 [de] each[8]
- 4 × Ijtihad class with 1 × MLG27 [de] each[9]
- 👁 Image
Canada - Discovery Air Defence Services:
- Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe and QinetiQ Aircraft)[10]
- 👁 Image
Germany - German Air force:[11]
- German Navy:
- 4 × Brandenburg class (F123) with 2 × MLG27 [de] each[12][13]
- 3 × Sachsen class (F124) with 2 × MLG27 [de] each[12][14]
- 4 × Baden-Württemberg class (F125) with 2 × MLG27 [de] each[15][16]
- 6 × Niedersachsen class (F126) with 2 × MLG27-4.0 SeaSnake [de] each[17]
- 10 × Braunschweig class (K130) with 2 × MLG27 [de] each[18]
- 2 × Ensdorf class (Type 352) to be upgraded with 2 × MLG27 [de] each
- 8 × Frankenthal class (Type 322) to be upgraded with 1 × MLG27 [de] each[12][19]
- 3 × Berlin class with 4 × MLG27 [de] each[15][20]
- 2 × Elbe class (Type 404) to be upgraded with 2 × MLG27 [de] each[21]
- 👁 Image
Sweden - Swedish Air Force (under the designation 27 mm akan m/85 / 27 mm automatkanon m/85)
- 👁 Image
Thailand - Royal Thai Air Force:
- Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft)
- Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D
- 👁 Image
United Arab Emirates - United Arab Emirates Navy:
- 6 × Baynunah class with 2 × MLG27 [de] each[26]
Systems retired
[edit]- 👁 Image
Australia - Royal Australian Air Force:
- Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft, retired)[10]
- 👁 Image
Germany - German Air Force:
- Alpha Jet A (retired and sold second-hand)
- Marineflieger:
- Panavia Tornado IDS (retired and transferred to Luftwaffe)[27]
- German Navy:
- 8 × Bremen class (F122) with 2 × MLG27 [de] each
- 👁 Image
Portugal - Portuguese Air Force:
- Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft, retired in January 2018)[28][29][30]
- 👁 Image
Saudi Arabia - Royal Saudi Air Force:
- Panavia Tornado ADV (retired in 2006)[31]
- 👁 Image
United Kingdom - Royal Air Force:[7]
- QinetiQ:
- Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft, retired in January 2018)[32]
Specifications
[edit]
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
[edit]- Oerlikon KCA - comparable Swiss design: 30×173mm NATO
- GIAT 30 - comparable French design: 30×150mm and 30×113mm
- VENOM LR 30 mm – comparable British design, 21st century 113mm-long derivative of ADEN
- DEFA cannon - comparable older French design: 30×113mm
- ADEN cannon – comparable older British design: 30×111mm
- R-23 cannon – comparable Russian design: 23mm×260mm (telescoped)
- M39 cannon – comparable US design: 20×102mm
References
[edit]- Notes
- ^ a b "Germany 27 mm/145 MLG 27 - NavWeaps". navweaps.com. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Lopez, Ramon (14 April 1999). "Lockheed Martin favours German cannon for JSF". Flight International. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
- ^ "Rheinmetall AG - 01.12.2003: Marineleichtgeschütz MLG 27 jetzt in der Auslieferung – Neuer Standard für die Deutsche Marine". Archived from the original on 4 December 2007. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- ^ Typhoon, Mike Sutton and Clifford Thurlow, Penguin (20 September 2022), ISBN 9781405950381, pp 324-326, 330
- ^ "Algerian National Navy, Algeria Naval forces, القوات البحرية الجزائرية, naval defence industry, navy technology, frigates, corvettes, submarines, systems". Navyrecognition.com. 25 July 2012. Archived from the original on 6 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "Eurofighter Typhoon Multirole Combat Fighter". Airforce Technology. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "HRH commissions new ship". BT.com.bn. The Brunei Times. 9 September 2014. Archived from the original on 14 December 2014.
- ^ "Brunei Navy". GlobalSecurity.org.
- ^ a b "Top Aces". Archived from the original on 23 April 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- ^ "Bordkanone Mauser 27 Millimeter". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ a b c "27mm MLG 27". Weaponsystems.net. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Brandenburg-Klasse F123". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Fregatten der Sachsen-Klasse". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ a b Newdick, Thomas (4 November 2024). "German Navy Confirms Its Supersized Frigate Will Avoid The Red Sea". The War Zone. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Baden-Württemberg-Klasse F125". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Rheinmetall chosen to supply MLG27-4.0 systems for German F126 ships". 17 November 2022.
- ^ "Braunschweig-Klasse K130". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Frankenthal-Klasse MJ332B/C/CL". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Einsatzgruppenversorger der Berlin-Klasse". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Tender Typ 404". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Ammunition for 27mm Mauser cannon" (PDF). 12 November 2018.
- ^ Orr, Christian D. (25 December 2024). "Europe Loves the Eurofighter Typhoon (And Other Countries May Be Buying)". The National Interest. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ "Nations – Saudi Arabia". Panavia Aircraft GmbH. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2018". Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
- ^ https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstream/handle/document/62946/ssoar-2019-bales_et_al-German_arms_in_the_Yemen.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (Page 5)
- ^ "Operations – Germany". Panavia Aircraft GmbH. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ Mata 2017, pp. 87–89.
- ^ Barreira, Victor (20 November 2017). "Portugal to phase out Alpha Jet A". IHS Jane's 360. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Portugal retires its Alpha Jets". Air International. March 2018. p. 16. ISSN 0306-5634.
- ^ "Operations – Saudi Arabia". Panavia Aircraft GmbH. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- ^ Harding, Ian (March 2018). "Alpha Jet retires". Air International. p. 21. ISSN 0306-5634.
External links
[edit]- Website of Rheinmetall Defence
- Marineleichtgeschütz MLG 27 (Website from constructor)
- Mauser BK 27 on WaffenHQ
- Webseite of the EF2000
- RAF page on BK 27