Mauser BK-27
| Mauser BK-27 | |
|---|---|
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| general information | |
| Country of operation: | see user states |
| Developer / Manufacturer: | originally Mauser , Rheinmetall |
| Manufacturer country: | Germany |
| Production time: | since 1977 |
| Weapon Category: | Automatic cannon as cannon |
| Furnishing | |
| Overall length: | 2310 mm |
| Total height: | 246 mm |
| Total width: | 296 mm |
| Weight: (unloaded) | 102.5 kg |
| Barrel length : | 1730 mm |
| Technical specifications | |
| Caliber : | 27 × 145 mm |
| Cadence : | Max. 1700 rounds / min |
| Lists on the subject | |
The BK 27 is a revolver cannon manufactured by Mauser , now part of Rheinmetall . BK 27 stands for B ord k anone in the caliber of 27 mm. It was developed in the late 1960s for the MRCA ( Multi-Role Combat Aircraft ) program, which resulted in the production of the Panavia Tornado .
Structure and technology
The BK 27 is a single-barrel revolver cannon with a five-chamber drum and is driven by gas pressure . It fires cartridges with a caliber of 27 × 145 mm, each with a bullet weight of 260 grams.
The Mauser BK 27 is used in the Panavia Tornado , the Alpha Jet , the Saab 39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon , for which an improved version with higher reliability was developed. At times the US Air Force planned to acquire the license to produce the cannon for the F-35 , the Joint Strike Fighter , but abandoned this project in favor of the GAU-12 .
Aside from being used in combat aircraft, there are maritime versions, such as the MN 27 GS and MLG 27 , which are used as light ship guns.
Comparison with Gatling cannon
Compared with Gatling guns of such M61 Vulcan , the higher cadence firing, wherein short bursts up to one second, as they occur in combat situations, the number of fired projectiles per volley in the Mauser BK 27 is greater than that of the Gatling guns . The reason for this is that the mostly electrically driven barrels of the Gatling cannons only reach their full speed after a short start-up time. With the BK 27, however, the full rate of fire is available from the first shot. Because of this and the larger caliber, it can fire projectiles with a total mass of just under 4 kg in the first half a second, while the M61 is around 2 kg.
Overview of users
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Germany :
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Italy : Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter -
Cameroon : Alpha Jet -
Canada : Alpha Jet (private company Top Aces ) -
Austria : Eurofighter -
Portugal : Alpha Jet -
South Africa : Saab 39
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Saudi Arabia : Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter -
Sweden : Saab 39 -
Spain : Eurofighter -
Thailand : Alpha Jet, Saab 39 Gripen -
Czech Republic : Saab 39 -
Hungary : Saab 39 -
United Kingdom : Alpha Jet, Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter
Picture gallery
Ammunition belt of the BK-27
MLG 27 on board the Rhine
See also
- Royal Small Arms Factory ADEN - British 30mm submachine gun
- GIAT DEFA 550 - French 30 mm automatic cannon
- Pontiac M39 - American 20 mm automatic cannon
