User:Le Petit Chat/40 mm Bofors L/70 anti-air gun

The Bofors L/70 40 mm gun, often referred to simply as the Bofors gun, is an anti-aircraft autocannon designed in the 1940s.

In the post-war era, the original L/60 Bofors design was not suitable for action against jet-powered aircraft, so Bofors introduced a new model of significantly more power, the 40 mm L/70. In spite of sharing almost nothing with the original design other than the calibre and the distinctive conical flash hider, this weapon is also widely known simply as "the Bofors". Although not as popular as the original L/60 model, the L/70 remains in service, especially as a multi-purpose weapon for light armoured vehicles, as on the CV 90.

Bofors has been part of BAE Systems AB since March 2005.

Development
By the end of World War II, jet aircraft had so increased the speed of attack that the Bofors simply could not get enough rounds into the air to counter the aircraft before it had already flown out of range. In order to effectively engage these threats, the gun would have to have longer range and a higher rate of fire, thereby increasing the number of rounds fired over the period of an engagement. Bofors considered either updating the 40 mm, or alternately making a much more powerful 57 mm design. In the end they did both.

The new 40 mm design used a larger 40×365R round firing a slightly lighter 870 g shell at a much higher 1,030 m/s (3,379 fps) muzzle velocity. The rate of fire was increased to 240 rounds per minute (4.0 rounds per second), similar to the German Flak 43. Additionally, the carriage was modified to be power-laid, the power being supplied by a generator placed on the front of the carriage. The first version was produced in 1947, accepted in 1948 as the "40 mm lvakan m/48", and entered Swedish service in 1951. Additional changes over the years have improved the firing rate first to 300 rpm (5.0 rounds per second), and later to 330 rpm (5.5 rps).



Foreign sales started, as they had in the past, with the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. In November 1953 it was accepted as the NATO standard anti-aircraft gun, and was soon produced in the thousands. The L/70 was also used as the basis for a number of SPAAGs, including the U.S. Army's failed M247 Sergeant York. The UK's RAF Regiment adopted the L70 to replace its L60 guns in 1957, retiring its last examples in 1977 and replacing them with the Rapier system.

In 1970's Zastava Arms acquired from Bofors license to produce L/70 version together with laser-computer group. . Ammunition 40mm for L/70 is locally produced for domestic use and export in Sloboda Čačak

In 1979 the Royal Netherlands Air Force acquired 25 KL/MSS-6720 Flycatcher radar system and upgraded 75 of their 40L70s to create 25 firing units for static air base defence. The improved guns had an increased rate of fire (300 rounds/min) and the loading mechanism was provided with extended guides so that it could hold 22 cartridges. A 220 V diesel generator was mounted onto the undercarriage. This generator was powered by a Volkswagen diesel engine.

In 1989 the Royal Netherlands Army acquired 30 Flycatcher systems. Each Flycatcher was fielded with two modified Bofors 40L70G guns. The 'G' stands for 'Gemodificeerd', which is the Dutch word meaning 'modified'. In the 40L70G version the loading mechanism was further improved and could be recognized by open rear guides. The 40L70G guns were also provided with muzzle velocity radars.

Early in the 1990s the Royal Netherlands Air Force 40L70s were upgraded to the 'G' version.

In some versions of the Swedish Army Combat Vehicle 90 there is a cartridge fed, automatic version of the L/70 autocannon installed. In order to fit inside the vehicle, the gun is mounted upside down. New armour piercing and programmable ammunition have also been developed. Germany has used L/70 guns on its Class 352, Class 333 and Class 332 mine hunting vessels, although these will be replaced by Rheinmetall MLG 27 remote-controlled gun systems until 2008. Until the early 80s L/70 guns guided by D7B radars were in widespread use in the anti-aircraft role in the German Navy and German Air Force until replaced by Roland SAMs.

The L/70 is also used by the Indian Abhay IFV which carries 210 APFSDS and high explosive rounds.

DARDO
Breda (now Oto Melara) of Italy uses Bofors 40 mm L/70 gun in its anti-aircraft weapon systems Type 64, Type 106, Type 107, Type 564 and Type 520. Also they have developed a CIWS system named DARDO for the Italian Army and Navy. A newer development from Breda, the Fast Forty (essentially a DARDO gun mount with twin 40mm/L70 guns), has nearly doubled the rate of fire to 450 rpm (7.5 rounds per second) (2 × 450 in twin mount), normally equipped with a 736-round magazine and a dual feed mechanism for naval use.

Other L/70 Variants

 * L/70 BOFI (Bofors Optronic Fire control Instrument) gun system: Electro optic fire control system (with a computer and laser range finder) and proximity fused ammunition.  A "fair weather system"


 *  L/70 BOFI-R (All weather):   Multisensor fire control system with a J band radar.  Provides automatic acquisition and tracking with an effective range of 4 km without external radar input.


 * L/70 REMO (Renovation and Modernisation): Package aimed at extending life span and increasing effectiveness. Higher rate of fire, new fire control system/air burst programming, and ammunition.


 * L/70 40mm Netherlands upgrade: New servo system, amplifiers, increased rate of fire (to 300 rds/min), ammo racks, and diesel power unit.


 * L/70 40mm Spanish upgrade: Felis electro optic automatic tracking system (HD TV set, automatic tracking, telemetry laser, portable target designator, and radar interface)


 * AOS 40mm L70 FADM (Field Air Defense Mount): Singapore Technologies electric drive aiming system


 * TRIDON 40mm L/70: Bofers installed Volvo 725 6x6 truck with fully enclosed, armor protected cab for a crew of five, with only two crew required. Did not enter service.


 * LVS 40mm L/70: Equipped with LVS modular fire-control system by Saab. Entered service with the Swedish Army and Royal Thai Army in 1994 and 1997.

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