Mauser BK-27

Mauser BK-27
The BK 27 (also BK27 or BK-27) (German abbreviation for Bordkanone, "on-board cannon") is a 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.
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). 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.
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.
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. 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). 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).
Operators
Current operators
Algerian Navy
Austrian Air Force: Eurofighter
Brazilian Air Force: Gripen
Royal Brunei Navy
Cameroon Air Force: Alpha Jet
Discovery Air Defence Services: Alpha Jet
Czech Air Force: Gripen
German Air Force: Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter
German Navy: MLG 27
Hungarian Air Force: Gripen
Italian Air Force: Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter
Royal Saudi Air Force: Panavia Tornado, Eurofighter
South African Air Force: Gripen
Spanish Air Force: Eurofighter
Swedish Air Force (under the designation 27 mm automatkanon m/85, 27 mm akan m/85): Gripen
Royal Thai Air Force: Alpha Jet, Gripen
United Arab Emirates Navy
Royal Air Force: Eurofighter
Former operators
Portuguese Air Force: Alpha Jet
Royal Air Force: Panavia Tornado
QinetiQ: Alpha Jet
Specifications
Data from Jane's Information Group
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
Oerlikon KBA - comparable Swiss design
References
Notes
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
Autocannon
Aircraft guns
Cold War weapons of Germany
BK-27
27 mm artillery
Mauser firearms
Military equipment introduced in the 1970s