Bofors L/70
Overview
Bofors L/70
Irish Defence Force Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft gun being loaded.
Source: Irish Defence Forces -
© GNU Attribution Share Alike license
India
Italy - Otobreda
Norway
Spain - Placencia de las Armas
United Kingdom - MGT / Royal Ordnance Factories
BOFI / Bofors Optronic Fire-control Instrument
Description
Introduction
The Bofors L/70 is a towed anti-aircraft gun of Swedish origin. It was developed in the late 1940's by Bofors as a successor for the earlier Bofors L/60 which was very successful during World War 2. Compared to the older L/60 the L/70 has a greater effective range and higher rate of fire, making it much more effective against fighter jets. The new L/70 gun has also been used in various naval mounts and serves as the main armament for the CV9040 mechanized infantry fighting vehicle.
Layout
The Bofors L/70 is similar in principle to the earlier L/60 but is much heavier and larger. The L/70 is based on a 4 wheel trailer with two outriggers and two jacks. The single 40mm L/70 autocannon is mounted on a turntable. Some models feature an APU and others are powered externally. The crew of two consists of a gunner on the left and a loader on the right. The guns are normally operated by radar, but for manual fire a SRS 5 sight is fitted. Several upgrade packages are offered to keep the guns up to date. One of them is the BOFI package which adds a radar system above the barrel.
Firepower
The L/70 fires different 40mm rounds than the earlier L/60. The new rounds are slightly lighter and have a much higher velocity. The latest upgrades include the 3P proximity fuse ammunition. The rounds are loaded in 4 round clips, although most systems are fitted with a 26 round hopper. The cyclic rate of fire is 240 rpm and upgrade packages offer 300 rpm. The maximum effective range is 3 to 4 km.
Mobility
The L/70 is mounted on a four wheel chassis and is usually towed by a 6x6 truck, which may also carry additional ammunition and the crew. In case of emergency the L/70 may be fired from its wheels with much reduced effectiveness. The emplacement and displacement time are several minutes.
Users
The L/70 was used by many Western nations and was widely exported to Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. The L/70 remains in widespread use although many systems have been replaced by surface to air missiles or are relegated to a secondary role.
Variants
Bofors L/70
The Bofors L/70 is a towed single barrel anti-aircraft gun. The system is based on a 4 wheel chassis that is fitted with four outriggers. A single 40mm L/70 autocannon is fitted on a turntable. A gun shield is fitted on the front and the side and ammunition is stowed behind the two operators. Elevation and traverse are powered. The L/70 Type A is powered from an external source and the Type B by an auxiliary power unit on the carriage.
Bofors L/70 REMO
The L/70 REMO is an original L/70 fitted with the Renovation and Modernization package offered by Bofors. This includes a full overhaul and various upgrades that include a higher rate of fire, new fire control system and air burst programmer and ammunition. The new sight and fire control computer are the UTAAS, which is also fitted to the CV 90 mechanized infantry fighting vehicle. The air burst ammunition is of the 3P type. The L/70 REMO in Dutch service lack the UTAAS sight but are fitted with a diesel APU and Flycatcher fire control integration.
Bofors L/70 BOFI
The L/70 BOFI, or fair weather BOFI, is an L/70 upgraded with the Bofors Optronic Fire-control Instrument (BOFI). This package includes an electro-optical fire-control system and proximity fuzed ammunition. The fire-control system also includes a computer and laser range finder. Since it is of limited use in adverse weather it is called a fair weather system.
Bofors L/70 BOFI-R
The L/70 BOFI-R, or all weather BOFI, is an L/70 with the same BOFI upgrade and the addition of a radar system above the barrel and a laser range finder. The BOFI-R can be used in all weather situations and can effectively engage fast moving targets out to 4 km without external radar input.
Details
Media
Bofors L/70
Irish Defence Force Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft gun firing.
Source: Irish Defence Forces
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Bofors L/70
Forward view of ex-Israeli Bofors L/70 in a museum.
Source: Bukvoed
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Bofors L/70
Rear view of ex-Israeli Bofors L/70 in a museum.
Source: Bukvoed
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Bofors L/70
Irish Defence Force Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft gun being loaded.
Source: Irish Defence Forces
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Bofors L/70 BOFI
Serbian air force Bofors L/70 BOFI towed anti-aircraft gun.
Source: Srdan Popovic
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Bofors L/70 BOFI
Serbian air force Bofors L/70 BOFI towed anti-aircraft gun.
Source: Srdan Popovic
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
Bofors L/70
Brazilian Bofors L/70 anti-aircraft gun towed by a 6x6 truck.
Source: Andre Gustavo Stumpf Filho
Copyright: GNU Attribution Share Alike license
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