Mauser BK 27
The BK 27 (also BK27 or BK-27) (German abbreviation for Bordkanone, "on-board cannon") is a 27 mm (1.063 in) 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).
Also recorded as Bordkanone 27 · BK27 · BK 27 · BK-27
Mauser BK 27

Petr Kadlec · CC BY-SA 3.0
- Field
- autocannon and revolver cannon.
- Region
- Germany.
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Documentary summary
The BK 27 (also BK27 or BK-27) (German abbreviation for Bordkanone, "on-board cannon") is a 27 mm (1.063 in) 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).
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In this article
Design
Design
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.
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).
Operational history
Operational history
In his book Typhoon, former RAF pilot Mike Sutton reported his 27 mm cannon jamming during a strafing run in Syria while supporting Allied ground units against ISIS targets. According to his book, the Typhoon was to be built, originally, without an internal gun, like the F-4 Phantom and the Harrier. However, while a decision was made to install an internal gun, this led to "manufacturing issues". Sutton claimed that during his strafing run the gun jammed after "twenty-six rounds", the HUD showing "GUN FAIL". During the debrief this problem was well known to both the pilots and ground crews. One pilot told Sutton: "They said that issue had been fixed", to which Sutton replied "Exactly. We've been here before."
Current operators
Current operators
Algeria Algerian Navy Austria Austrian Air Force: Brazil Brazilian Air Force: Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F Brunei Royal Brunei Navy 4 × Darussalam class with 1 × MLG27 each 4 × Ijtihad class with 1 × MLG27 each Canada Discovery Air Defence Services: Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe and QinetiQ Aircraft) Czech Republic Czech Air Force: Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D Germany German Air force: Eurofighter Tranche 1 Eurofighter Tranche 2 Eurofighter Tranche 3 Eurofighter Tranche 4 Eurofighter ECR Panavia Tornado IDS Panavia Tornado ECR German Navy: 4 × Brandenburg class (F123) with 2 × MLG27 each 3 × Sachsen class (F124) with 2 × MLG27 each 4 × Baden-Württemberg class (F125) with 2 × MLG27 each 10 × Braunschweig class (K130) with 2 × MLG27 each 2 × Ensdorf class (Type 352) to be upgraded with 2 × MLG27 each 8 × Frankenthal class (Type 322) to be upgraded with 1 × MLG27 each 3 × Berlin class with 4 × MLG27 each 2 × Elbe class (Type 404) to be upgraded with 2 × MLG27 each Hungary Hungarian Air Force: Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D Italy Italian Air force: Eurofighter Tranche 1 Eurofighter Tranche 2 Eurofighter Tranche 3 Eurofighter Tranche 4 Panavia Tornado IDS Panavia Tornado ECR Oman Royal Air Force of Oman: Eurofighter Tranche 3 Qatar Qatar Emiri Air Force: Eurofighter Tranche 3 Saudi Arabia Royal Saudi Air Force: Eurofighter Tranche 2 Eurofighter Tranche 3 Panavia Tornado IDS South Africa South African Air Force: Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D Spain Spanish Air Force: Eurofighter Tranche 1 Eurofighter Tranche 2 Eurofighter Tranche 3 Eurofighter Tranche 4 Sweden Swedish Air Force (under the designation 27 mm akan m/85 / 27 mm automatkanon m/85) Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D and E/F Thailand Royal Thai Air Force: Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft) Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates Navy: 6 × Baynunah class with 2 × MLG27 each United Kingdom Royal Air Force: Eurofighter Tranche 1 Eurofighter Tranche 2 Eurofighter Tranche 3
Systems retired
Systems retired
Australia Royal Australian Air Force: Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft, retired) Germany German Air Force: Alpha Jet A (retired and sold second-hand) Marineflieger: Panavia Tornado IDS (retired and transferred to Luftwaffe) German Navy: 8 × Bremen class (F122) with 2 × MLG27 each Portugal Portuguese Air Force: Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft, retired in January 2018) Saudi Arabia Royal Saudi Air Force: Panavia Tornado ADV (retired in 2006) Sweden Swedish Air Force: Saab JAS 39 Gripen A/B United Kingdom Royal Air Force: Panavia Tornado IDS Panavia Tornado ADV QinetiQ: Alpha Jet A (former Luftwaffe aircraft, retired in January 2018)
Specifications
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)
Places
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Places
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Germany.
Country
Mauser BK 27 is associated with Germany.
Country
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Germany 27 mm/145 MLG 27 - NavWeaps. navweaps.com.
- 2.Ian, V. Hogg. Jane's Ammunition Handbook. Jane's Information Group. 1998. 9780710617897.
- 3.Lopez, Ramon. Lockheed Martin favours German cannon for JSF. Flight International. 1999-04-14.
- 4.Rheinmetall AG - 01.12.2003: Marineleichtgeschütz MLG 27 jetzt in der Auslieferung – Neuer Standard für die Deutsche Marine.
- 5.Typhoon, Mike Sutton and Clifford Thurlow, Penguin (20 September 2022), , pp 324-326, 330
- 6.Navyrecognition.com. Algerian National Navy, Algeria Naval forces, القوات البحرية الجزائرية, naval defence industry, navy technology, frigates, corvettes, submarines, systems. 2012-07-25.
- 7.Eurofighter Typhoon Multirole Combat Fighter. Airforce Technology.
- 8.The Brunei Times. HRH commissions new ship. BT.com.bn. 9 September 2014.
- 9.Brunei Navy. GlobalSecurity.org.
- 10.Top Aces.
- 11.Bordkanone Mauser 27 Millimeter. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 12.27mm MLG 27. Weaponsystems.net.
- 13.Brandenburg-Klasse F123. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 14.Fregatten der Sachsen-Klasse. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 15.Newdick, Thomas. German Navy Confirms Its Supersized Frigate Will Avoid The Red Sea. The War Zone. 2024-11-04.
- 16.Baden-Württemberg-Klasse F125. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 17.Braunschweig-Klasse K130. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 18.Frankenthal-Klasse MJ332B/C/CL. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 19.Einsatzgruppenversorger der Berlin-Klasse. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 20.Tender Typ 404. www.bundeswehr.de.
- 21.Ammunition for 27mm Mauser cannon. 12 November 2018.
- 22.Orr, Christian D. Europe Loves the Eurofighter Typhoon (And Other Countries May Be Buying). The National Interest. 2024-12-25.
- 23.Panavia Aircraft GmbH. Nations – Saudi Arabia.
- 24.World Air Forces 2018. Flightglobal.com.
- 25.https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/bitstream/handle/document/62946/ssoar-2019-bales_et_al-German_arms_in_the_Yemen.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (Page 5)
- 26.Panavia Aircraft GmbH. Operations – Germany.
- 27.Mata 2017, pp. 87–89.
- 28.Barreira, Victor. Portugal to phase out Alpha Jet A. IHS Jane's 360. 20 November 2017.
- 29.Portugal retires its Alpha Jets. Air International. 16. March 2018. 0306-5634.
- 30.Panavia Aircraft GmbH. Operations – Saudi Arabia.
- 31.Harding, Ian. Alpha Jet retires. Air International. 21. March 2018. 0306-5634.
References
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1- revolver cannonTerminology
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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