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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

Origin
Sweden
Type
Anti-aircraft gun
Entered service
Early 1950's
Status
In service
Development
1945 - 1948
Developer
Sweden
Production
1951 - present?
Producer
Sweden - Bofors
India
Italy - Otobreda
Norway
Spain - Placencia de las Armas
United Kingdom - MGT / Royal Ordnance Factories
Number produced
Over 5.000
Designations
REMO / REnovation MOdernization
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


Facts L/70 Type A L/70 Type B L/70 REMO L/70 BOFI L/70 BOFI-R
General
Origin
Sweden
Type
Anti-aircraft gun
Crew
2 on weapon
Dimensions
Weight
4.8 t
Length
7.29 m (travelling)
Width
2.23 m (travelling)
Height
2.35 m (travelling)
Ordnance
Type
40mm L/70 autocannon
Ammunition
26 rounds ready to fire
96 round stored in ready racks
Elevation
-4 to +90°
Elevation rate
45/°s
Traverse
360°
Traverse rate
85°/s
Sight
SRS 5 sight
Firepower
Rate of fire
240 - 260 rpm cyclic
Range
3 to 4 km vs aircraft
Carriage
Type
4 wheel carriage with two outriggers and two jacks
Gun shield
Yes
Wheelbase
4.03 m
Tread
1.8 m
Ground clearance
0.39 m
Mobility
Towing vehicle
4x4 or 6x6 truck
APU
No, external power required

Media


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