Name: Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun specifications
Creator: ForceTally

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Wars: See § Wars¹
Designer: AB Bofors¹
Designed: 1930¹
Produced: 1932–present¹
No. built: >60,000 (L/60)¹
Variants: See § Variants¹
Shell: 40×311mmR¹
Breech: Vertical sliding-wedge¹
Carriage: 522 kg (1,151 lb)¹
Elevation: −5°/+90°, 55°/s¹
Traverse: Full 360°, 50°/s¹
Reported operator · Algeria: Algeria¹
Reported operator · Argentina: Argentina¹
Reported operator · Australia: Australia¹
Reported operator · Austria: Austria¹
Reported operator · Bangladesh: Bangladesh¹
Reported operator · Belgium: Belgium¹
Reported operator · Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnia and Herzegovina¹
Reported operator · Belize: Belize¹
Reported operator · Brunei: Brunei¹
Reported operator · Cambodia: Cambodia¹
Reported operator · Canada: Canada¹
Reported operator · Chad: Chad¹
Reported operator · Chile: Chile¹
Reported operator · Croatia: Croatia¹
Reported operator · Colombia: Colombia¹
Reported operator · Democratic Republic of the Congo: Democratic Republic of the Congo¹
Reported operator · Katanga: Katanga¹
Reported operator · Cyprus: Cyprus¹
Reported operator · Czech Republic: Czech Republic¹
Reported operator · Denmark: Denmark¹
Reported operator · Dominican Republic: Dominican Republic¹
Reported operator · Ecuador: Ecuador¹
Reported operator · Egypt: Egypt¹
Reported operator · Estonia: Estonia¹
Reported operator · Finland: Finland¹
Reported operator · France: France¹
Reported operator · Gambia: Gambia¹
Reported operator · Germany (Nazi): Germany (Nazi)¹
Reported operator · Germany: Germany¹
Reported operator · Georgia: Georgia¹
Reported operator · Guatemala: Guatemala¹
Reported operator · Greece (1935–1973): Greece (1935–1973)¹
Reported operator · Greece: Greece¹
Reported operator · Hungary: Hungary¹
Reported operator · Iceland: Iceland¹
Reported operator · India: India¹
Reported operator · Israel: Israel¹
Reported operator · Ireland: Ireland¹
Reported operator · Iraq: Iraq¹
Reported operator · Italy: Italy¹
Reported operator · Ivory Coast: Ivory Coast¹
Reported operator · Japan: Japan¹
Reported operator · Jordan: Jordan¹
Reported operator · Republic of Korea: Republic of Korea¹
Reported operator · Lebanon: Lebanon¹
Reported operator · Libya: Libya¹
Reported operator · Latvia: Latvia¹
Reported operator · Lithuania: Lithuania¹
Reported operator · Malaysia: Malaysia¹
Reported operator · Mexico: Mexico¹
Reported operator · Malta: Malta¹
Reported operator · Montenegro: Montenegro¹
Reported operator · Myanmar: Myanmar¹
Reported operator · Nepal: Nepal¹
Reported operator · Nicaragua: Nicaragua¹
Reported operator · Nigeria: Nigeria¹
Reported operator · Biafra: Biafra¹
Reported operator · Norway: Norway¹
Reported operator · New Zealand: New Zealand¹
Reported operator · Oman: Oman¹
Reported operator · Pakistan: Pakistan¹
Reported operator · Panama: Panama¹
Reported operator · Papua New Guinea: Papua New Guinea¹
Reported operator · Paraguay: Paraguay¹
Reported operator · Peru: Peru¹
Reported operator · Philippines: Philippines¹
Reported operator · Poland: Poland¹
Reported operator · Portugal: Portugal¹
Reported operator · Qatar: Qatar¹
Reported operator · Romania: Romania¹
Reported operator · Senegal: Senegal¹
Source measurement: The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 (often referred to simply as the "Bofors 40 mm gun" , the "Bofors gun" and the like, see name ) is an anti-aircraft autocannon , designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors . The gun was designed as an intermediate anti-aircraft gun, filling the gap between fast firing close-range small calibre anti-aircraft guns and slower firing long-range high calibre anti-aircraft guns. For its time, the Bofors 40 mm L/60 was perfectly suited for this role and outperformed competing designs in the years leading up to World War II in both effectiveness and reliability.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In the post-war era, the Bofors 40 mm L/60 design was not suitable for action against jet-powered aircraft, so Bofors developed a new 40 mm replacement design with significantly more power—the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 , also known under the generic name 'Bofors 40 mm gun'—which was adopted by many nations during the Cold War and was selected as NATO-standard in November 1953. The Bofors 40 mm L/60 would however continue to see service long after becoming obsolete as an anti-aircraft weapon due to the massive number of surplus guns from WWII, and a small number of Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns remain in service today. Some weapons saw action as late as the Gulf War and Yugoslav Wars .¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Lead; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 is known under a variety of names around the world. In common historical nomenclatures it is commonly known under the names Bofors 40 mm gun , 40 mm Bofors gun and Bofors gun . This mostly stems from Western Allied usage of the gun during World War II. For example, British anti-air batteries armed with the gun during the war received the nickname "The Bofors Boys". There were other guns by Bofors which also had these nicknames, the most common being the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 , leading some to think they are the same gun.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Name; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Bofors itself never marketed the gun or its variants with a clear standardized name or abbreviation. In the vast majority of 1930s marketing material the gun is sold under a variety of descriptive names depending on the configuration, such as: "40 mm Automatic Field Gun L/60" to "40 mm Automatic A.A. Gun L/60 in Field Carriage" or "40 mm Automatic Naval Gun L/60" to "40 mm Automatic A.A. Gun L/60 in Naval Mounting". This theme transfers over to other languages as well: Swedish : 40 mm fältautomatkanon L/60 , German : 40 mm feldluftautomatkanone L/60 , Spanish : Cañón automatico de campaña de 40 mm L/60 Bofors . Only the caliber of 40 mm and caliber length of L/60 are somewhat universal in branding.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Name; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Due to this the gun is often specified by the calibre length "L/60". Enthusiasts and experts usually call the gun "Bofors 40 mm L/60" or simply "Bofors 40/60" and the like. In some Bofors material the gun is standardized under the English name "Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60".¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Name; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Contrary to the name, the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 has an actual barrel length of 56.25 calibres – 2,250 mm (7 ft 5 in). Due to this, the gun can at times be found under the designation L/56 . The L/60 calibre length – 2,400 mm (94 in) – refers to the length of the barrel and breech mounted as a unit. The gun has also been cited with a caliber length of L/62 on occasion. This refers to the length of the barrel – 2,250 mm – when equipped with the conical flash hider – 250 mm (9.8 in); amounting to a length of 2,500 mm (8 ft 2 in), or 62.5 calibres. Similarly, the shorter L/43 calibre length – 1,720 mm (5 ft 8 in) – refers to the length of the barrel and breech mounted as a unit. The actual barrel length is 1,570 mm (5 ft 2 in) – 39.25 calibres. With a flash hider or muzzle brake mounted the barrel length becomes 1,740 mm (5 ft 9 in) or 1,760 mm (5 ft 9 in).¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Name / Calibre length; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In 1922, the Swedish Navy purchased a number of 40 mm 2-pounder "pom-poms" from Vickers as anti-aircraft guns. The navy approached Bofors about the development of a more capable replacement, and Bofors signed a contract in late 1928. The company produced a gun that was a smaller version of a 57 mm (6-pounder) semi-automatic gun, developed as an anti- torpedo boat weapon in the late 19th century by Finspång . Bofors' first test gun was a re-barrelled Nordenfelt version of the Finspång gun, to which was added a semi-automatic loading mechanism.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: During that period, Krupp purchased a one-third share of Bofors. Krupp engineers began the process of updating the Bofors factories with modern equipment and metallurgy, but the 40 mm project was kept secret.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The prototype was completed and fired in November 1931 and, by the middle of the month, it was firing strings of two and three rounds. Changes to the feed mechanism were all that remained and, by the end of the year, the gun was operating at 130 rounds per minute. The development needed to turn it into a weapon suitable for production was completed in October 1933. Because acceptance trials had been passed the year before, it became known as the "40 mm akan M/32". Most forces referred to it as the "Bofors 40 mm L/60", although the barrel was actually 56.25 calibres in length, not the 60 calibres that the name implied.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The gun fired a 900 g (2.0 lb) high explosive shell at 2,960 ft/s (900 m/s) from a 40 × 311 rimmed cartridge. The rate of fire was normally about 120 rounds per minute (2 rounds per second), which increased slightly when the barrels were closer to the horizon, because gravity assisted the feeding from the top-mounted magazine. Practical firing rates were closer to 80–100 rpm, because the rounds were fed into the breech from four-round clips which had to be replaced by hand. The maximum attainable ceiling was 7,200 m (23,600 ft), but the practical maximum was about 3,800 m (12,500 ft).¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In spite of the successful development, the Swedish Navy changed its mind and decided it needed a smaller hand-traversed weapon of 13 mm-25 mm size, and tested various designs from foreign suppliers. With the development of the 40 mm well advanced, Bofors offered a 25 mm version in 1932, which was eventually selected as the Bofors 25 mm M/32 .¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The first version of the 40 mm the Swedish Navy ordered was intended for use on submarines, because the larger calibre allowed the gun to be used both as an anti-aircraft gun, and against smaller ships. The barrel was shorter, at 43 calibres, which reduced the muzzle velocity to about 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s). When not in use, the gun was pointed directly up and retracted into a watertight cylinder. The only known submarines that used that arrangement were the Sjölejonet -class boats. The guns were later removed when the submarines were modified with streamlined conning towers.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Orders for the land-based versions were immediate, starting with one for eight weapons from Belgium in August 1935, followed by a flood of orders from other forces including Poland, Norway, and Finland. It was accepted into the Swedish Army the next year, and known as the "40 mm lvakan m/36", the lower-case "m" indicating an army model as opposed to the capital "M" for the navy.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Within a few years AB Bofors received a number of orders from foreign governments including Poland, Finland, Greece and Norway negotiated for licenses to produce the gun and its ammunition. By 1939 Bofors guns were in production across Europe for many armies in a bewildering arrangement of cross-deals. For instance, the United Kingdom took out a license, but was in such a hurry to re-arm with the Bofors gun that it also purchased some from Poland and Hungary. France wanted to set up a line but purchased guns from Poland. Poland meanwhile developed its own version of Bofors gun, contributing a lighter carriage (in the 40 mm armata przeciwlotnicza Bofors wz. 36 ) which was later adopted by the British.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development / Licensed production; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The Swedish navy adopted the weapon as the m/36 in two versions: hand-worked single air-cooled, and power-operated twin water-cooled. A twin air-cooled mounting, probably hand-worked, was also used by the navies of Sweden and Argentina, and a twin air-cooled wet mounting was developed for Polish submarines.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Development / Licensed production; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The British Army had first examined the weapon in 1937, when it received a number of Polish-built examples for testing. They were known as the "QF 40 mm Mark I" (QF standing for "quick firing" ). With a minor change to the flash hider , they were designated "Mark I/2". A production licence was acquired, and the gun was converted from metric to imperial measurements. Numerous changes were made to the design so that it was more suitable for mass production, because the original Bofors design was intended to be hand-assembled. Many parts were labelled "file to fit on assembly", requiring many man-hours of work to complete.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In that form, the "QF 40 mm Mark III" (Mk II was a designation used for a version of the naval "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun), became the army's standard light anti-aircraft (AA) weapon, operating alongside their 3-inch 20 cwt and 3.7-inch heavy AA guns. British production started slowly and, by September 1939 only 233 equipments had been produced. However, by the end of the war, the total production of British, Canadian and Australian factories numbered over 19,000. The peak production year was 1942, when British factories produced 5,025 and Canadian factories produced 1,311.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In combat, it was found that the Kerrison was difficult to set up in many situations, as well as making logistics more complex, due to the need to keep its electrical generator supplied with fuel. In most engagements, only the pancake sights were used, without any form of correction, making the British versions less capable than those used by other forces. Eventually, an anti-aircraft gunnery school on the range at Stiffkey on the Norfolk coast, delivered a workable solution, a trapeze-like arrangement that moved the pancake sights to offer lead correction, operated by a new crew-member standing behind the left-hand layer. The "Stiffkey Sight" was sent out to units in 1943, arriving in Canadian units in the midst of the Battle of the Aleutian Islands . A final wartime change to the elevation mechanism resulted in the "QF 40 mm Mark XII". A much lighter, two-wheeled carriage was also developed for airborne use.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The army experimented with various self-propelled anti-aircraft guns based on various tank chassis. Changes to the breech for that role created the "QF 40 mm Mark VI", which was used on the Crusader tank to produce the Crusader III AA Mark I . The main self-propelled version of the Bofors was the gun mounted on a chassis derived from the Morris C8 "Quad" artillery tractor, which was known as the "Carrier, 30 cwt, SP, 4×4, 40 mm AA (Bofors)" or Morris-Commercial C9/B. Such guns were used in support of army divisions, to provide swift protection against air attack without the need to unlimber. They saw service in north-west Europe, where six SP Bofors of 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, landed with the British 3rd Infantry Division on Sword Beach on D-Day, to protect the vital bridges over the Caen Canal and the Orne River ( Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge ), shooting down 17 German planes. Later in the campaign, SP Bofors were used extensively for ground shoots as well as in an anti-aircraft role.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: No 2875 Squadron RAF Regiment, employing the L60, became the first unit to shoot down a jet aircraft, a Messerschmitt Me 262 , with ground-based anti-aircraft fire, at Helmond in the Netherlands on 28 November 1944. Although the Allied air forces had achieved air superiority by the Normandy landings, Advanced Landing Grounds continued to be high-priority targets for the Luftwaffe when the opportunity presented, and that ensured that the RAF Regiment's L60s continued to be heavily used. For example, on New Year's Day 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge , RAF Regiment Light Anti-Aircraft squadrons shot down 43 German aircraft and damaged 28 others during the Operation Bodenplatte attacks on eleven RAF forward airfields. There were insufficient guns available to equip the RAF Regiment squadrons in the Far East during the war, and they had to make do mostly with 20 mm Hispano and Oerlikon 20 mm guns.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The Royal Navy also made extensive use of the Bofors. Its first examples were air-cooled versions quickly adapted for ships during the withdrawal from Norway . After the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch minelayer, HNLMS Willem van der Zaan , gave the navy its first example of a water-cooled gun on its Hazemeyer tri-axially stabilized mounting. Locally produced examples started arriving in 1942, known as the "QF 40 mm Mark IV" with twin-mounts, or the "QF 40 mm Mark V" with single mounts. The navy ran through a variety of versions of the basic Bofors gun over the war, including the Mark VII to Mark XI. The British light anti-aircraft weapon already in use with the Royal Navy's, the QF 2-pounder gun , also had a calibre of 40 mm, but was referred to as the QF 2-pdr.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Naval versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The Mounting Mark V (Mark VC for Canadian built examples) for the 20 mm Oerlikon and QF 2 pounder guns was also adopted initially as an interim mount for the Bofors. It was a single-barrelled mounting with hydraulic power, and was known as the "Boffin".¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Naval versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The mounting was heavy (17.5 tons) and the high-vibration of the gun mounting made it a poor location for sensitive valve electronics and mechanical computers.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · British versions / Naval versions; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The United States Navy 's Bureau of Ordnance purchased a twin-mount air-cooled example, spare parts and 3,000 rounds of ammunition directly from Bofors, which arrived in New York on 28 August 1940 aboard the Army transport USAT American Legion , which had evacuated 897 people, including members of the Norwegian royal family, through the Finnish port of Petsamo . During that month another Dutch ship, the Van Kinsbergen , demonstrated the Hazemeyer mount to Navy observers. The gun was quickly chosen as the Navy's standard anti-aircraft weapon over the British 40 mm calibre, 2-pounder pom-pom ; however, negotiations with Bofors for licensed production stalled when the Swedes requested airplane export and manufacturing licenses in return. Reportedly, the Navy secretly imported a set of imperial designs from Britain and started production illegally. A formal contract with Bofors was reached in June 1941. The resulting Mark 1 and Mark 2 weapons were intended for the left and right side of a twin mount, respectively, and were adapted by Chrysler for water cooling.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the existing 1.1" (28 mm) quad mount and .50 caliber machine guns were determined to be inadequate against modern aircraft, and their replacement by 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon weapons was accelerated.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The 40 mm quadruple mount was developed by essentially mounting two twin mounts side by side.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Essentially all US naval mountings were twin or quadruple. 40 mm weapons were eventually mounted on virtually every naval and armed auxiliary vessel larger than a small landing craft.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: After the war, the 3"/50 caliber gun Mark 27 twin mount began to replace the Bofors, because the "VT" proximity fuse would not fit a 40mm projectile, and the 40 mm weapon was considered inadequate against the emerging anti-ship missile threat.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The twin 3" mount was intended to be the same weight as the 40mm quad mount, but was somewhat heavier in practice, which had to be compensated for.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Except on destroyers and new construction, the Navy was slow in phasing out the 40 mm gun, and it continued in active Navy service through the Korean War.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Naval; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In 1938 the United States Army introduced a 37 mm gun of their own design, but found it to be of limited performance.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: By the middle part of the war, most of the 37 mm guns had been replaced by the 40 mm.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Army and Marine Corps service, the single mount Bofors was known as the 40 mm Automatic Gun M1 .¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: II high-explosive shell as well as the M81A1 armor-piercing round, which was capable of penetrating some 50 mm of homogeneous armor plate at a range of 500 yards.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In the Army, each Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) auto-weapons battalion was authorized a total of thirty-two 40 mm guns in its four firing batteries.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Marine division had a "special weapons battalion" that included sixteen 40 mm guns; in early 1944 these were replaced with anti-aircraft battalions with twelve 40 mm guns.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Marine defense battalions also used the 40 mm gun.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: During World War II, the twin mount version of the gun was mounted on an M24 Chaffee tank chassis as the M19 Gun Motor Carriage . In the 1950s, the M41 Walker Bulldog tank was heavily modified into the M42 Duster with the same twin 40 mm mounting. After being largely withdrawn from service in the early 1960s, the M42 was re-introduced beginning in 1966 for the Vietnam War , where it was mostly used for ground fire support. Following the withdrawal from Vietnam in the early 1970s, the M42 was retained in National Guard service until finally retired in 1988.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · U.S. versions / Army; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: In World War II Germany, the Wehrmacht used a number of Bofors guns which had been captured in Poland and France. The Kriegsmarine also operated some guns obtained from Norway. In German naval use, the gun was designated the "4 cm FlaK 28" , and was variously used aboard individual examples of many different classes of warship, including but not limited to; the cruisers Admiral Hipper and Prinz Eugen toward the end of the war; M1940-class minesweeper; vorpostenboot . Beginning in 1942, several 'S 38 type' schnellboote were equipped with the Flak 28, enabling them to fight against British MGBs and MTBs on equal terms.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Captured examples; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Germany also purchased a large number (200+) of Hungarian-made Bofors guns. In return, Hungary received a 75 mm PaK 40 gun for every 4-5 Bofors. The Wehrmacht used Hungarian guns after German occupation of Hungary from late 1944. Most of them were lost during the fights in Budapest and Transdanubia .¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Captured examples; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The Bofors 40 mm L/43 is a submarine variant of L/60 with retractable mounting, and using low propellant charge ammunition.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/43; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The L/60 remained in front-line service well into the 1980s and 1990s although it had been replaced in production by the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 . In most cases, these were the ground anti-aircraft versions, as a suitable replacement in this role did not come along until the introduction of truly effective MANPADS missiles in the 1980s and 1990s.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The L/60 saw active service with the Argentinian and British navies in the 1982 Falklands War and continued to be used into the 1990s, when it was replaced by modern 20 mm and 30 mm artillery.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Ships of the Norwegian and Icelandic Coast Guards continue to use the 40mm Bofors gun.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: The last 40 mm L/60 Bofors in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) were used as the main weapon aboard the Attack -class and Fremantle -class patrol boats and for training purposes at the West Head gunnery range at HMAS Cerberus . These were removed from service during 2007; Bofors were used aboard almost every RAN ship to operate between the 1940s and the 1990s, including the aircraft carriers Sydney and Melbourne .¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Since the beginning of the 1970s, the 40 mm Bofors L/60s have been used in the United States Air Force 's Lockheed AC-130 gunships in the air-to-ground role. Between 2006 and 2012, there were plans to remove these and the 20 mm M61 Vulcans from newer AC-130U variants and replace them with 30 mm autocannons. However, these plans did not come to fruition at the time, and the 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Vulcans remained in service as of 2009 , though the later W- and upcoming J-model variants have 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II autocannons instead.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 / AC-130 Gunship; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: When four additional AC-130Us were to be converted from 2002, the necessary 40 mm L/60 guns had to be salvaged from old M42 targets at the Nellis AFB range. The final 40 mm L/60 guns in US service were retired in 2020 with the last of the AC-130Us.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 / AC-130 Gunship; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Bofors 40 mm L/60 Model 1932 — Unofficial designation of the prototype gun, made for Swedish Navy's official trials. Bofors 40 mm L/43 Model 1932 — A short-barrel version for submarines that was to be stowed in a waterproof tubular container located in the conning tower or under the decking.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Variants / Gun variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Bofors 40 mm L/60 Model 1934 — Improved model, exported to several countries but not adopted by the Swedish military.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Variants / Gun variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: Bofors 40 mm L/60 Model 1936 — Slightly further improved model adopted by the Swedish military, as well as other countries.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Variants / Gun variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: 40 mm L/56 Mark 1 / 40 mm L/56 Mark 2 — US Navy water-cooled variants with interchangeable barrel assemblies. Both were used for all twin and quad mountings.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Variants / Gun variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Source measurement: 40 mm L/56 M1 — US Army air-cooled version. Barrel assemblies were interchangeable with British and Canadian Bofors guns. US Navy used a modified version for single mountings.¹Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Variants / Gun variants; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage
Country of origin: Sweden²Inventory Origin column; table 9, row 8, cell 5; revision 1377113086; retrieved 2026-10-02Wikipedia list · original not yet checked
Country of origin: Sweden³Inventory Origin column; table 8, row 2, cell 4; revision 1349740034; retrieved 2026-10-01Wikipedia list · original not yet checked

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English Wikipedia
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Native-language Wikipedia and Wikidata
en.wikipedia.org ↗ · Page not found
Checked 29 Sept 2026
No sv interlanguage link on the exact article.
Recorded evidence
English article interlanguage links · sv
Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun
www.wikidata.org ↗ · Field absent
Checked 29 Sept 2026
No mapped field recovered. Stored full text retained for further extraction; this is not a claim that unstructured prose has been manually exhausted.
Recorded evidence
Mapped labelled specifications
autocannon family by Bofors Bofors 40 mm gun Bofors gun edit Language Label Description Also known as default for all languages No label defined – English Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun autocannon family by Bo
en.wikipedia.org ↗ · Page not found
Checked 29 Sept 2026
No sv interlanguage link on the exact article.
Recorded evidence
English article interlanguage links · sv
Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun
www.wikidata.org ↗ · Field absent
Checked 29 Sept 2026
No mapped field recovered. Stored full text retained for further extraction; this is not a claim that unstructured prose has been manually exhausted.
Recorded evidence
Mapped labelled specifications
autocannon family by Bofors Bofors 40 mm gun Bofors gun edit Language Label Description Also known as default for all languages No label defined – English Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun autocannon family by Bo
Manufacturer product page or data sheet
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Operating force or defence ministry
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Checked 29 Sept 2026
No exact name or stored alias among retained equipment links. This is index coverage, not proof the specification is unpublished.
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Hellenic Submarines Command - Πολεμικό Ναυτικό - Επίσημη Ιστοσελίδα Facebook Instagram X Youtube Home History History of the Hellenic Navy Previous Chiefs of Hellenic Navy General Staff Floating Μaritime Μuseums Battleship Averof History & Art Historic Uniforms Organisation General Staff of HN Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS) Chief of the Hellenic Navy Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy Supreme Naval Council Subordinate Services Hellenic Navy Band Hellenic Navy Inspectorate General Fleet Headqu
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Frigates - Πολεμικό Ναυτικό - Επίσημη Ιστοσελίδα Facebook Instagram X Youtube Home History History of the Hellenic Navy Previous Chiefs of Hellenic Navy General Staff Floating Μaritime Μuseums Battleship Averof History & Art Historic Uniforms Organisation General Staff of HN Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS) Chief of the Hellenic Navy Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy Supreme Naval Council Subordinate Services Hellenic Navy Band Hellenic Navy Inspectorate General Fleet Headquarters Fleet Headqu
hellenicnavy.gr ↗ · Page not found
Checked 29 Sept 2026
No exact name or stored alias among retained equipment links. This is index coverage, not proof the specification is unpublished.
Recorded evidence
Official equipment index linked profile names
Submarines - Πολεμικό Ναυτικό - Επίσημη Ιστοσελίδα Facebook Instagram X Youtube Home History History of the Hellenic Navy Previous Chiefs of Hellenic Navy General Staff Floating Μaritime Μuseums Battleship Averof History & Art Historic Uniforms Organisation General Staff of HN Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS) Chief of the Hellenic Navy Deputy Chief of the Hellenic Navy Supreme Naval Council Subordinate Services Hellenic Navy Band Hellenic Navy Inspectorate General Fleet Headquarters Fleet Head
Specialist defence reference
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Sources & original excerpts3 references

Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun · Wikipedia revision 1373881112 ↗
Type
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Type
Autocannon
Place of origin
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Place of origin
Sweden
In service
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · In service
1934–present
Used by
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Used by
See § Users
Wars
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Wars
See § Wars
Designer
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Designer
AB Bofors
Designed
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Designed
1930
Manufacturer
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Manufacturer
See § Manufacturers
Produced
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Produced
1932–present
No. built
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · No. built
>60,000 (L/60)
Variants
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Variants
See § Variants
Barrel length
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Barrel length
2.25 m (7 ft 5 in)
Crew
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Crew
4 (dependent on use)
Shell
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Shell
40×311mmR
Shell weight
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Shell weight
0.9 kg (2 lb 0 oz)
Caliber
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Caliber
40 mm (1.57 in)
Action
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Action
Automatic extraction and integrated cam -operated recoil powered autoloader
Breech
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Breech
Vertical sliding-wedge
Carriage
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Carriage
522 kg (1,151 lb)
Elevation
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Elevation
−5°/+90°, 55°/s
Traverse
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Traverse
Full 360°, 50°/s
Rate of fire
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Rate of fire
Low elevation angles : 140 rounds/min High elevation angles : 120 rounds/min
Muzzle velocity
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Muzzle velocity
850–880 m/s (2,800–2,900 ft/s)
Maximum firing range
Infobox (Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60) · Maximum firing range
7,160 m (7,830 yd)
Reported operator · Algeria
Users · Users
Algeria
Reported operator · Argentina
Users · Users
Argentina
Reported operator · Australia
Users · Users
Australia
Reported operator · Austria
Users · Users
Austria
Reported operator · Bangladesh
Users · Users
Bangladesh
Reported operator · Belgium
Users · Users
Belgium
Reported operator · Bosnia and Herzegovina
Users · Users
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Reported operator · Belize
Users · Users
Belize
Reported operator · Brunei
Users · Users
Brunei
Reported operator · Cambodia
Users · Users
Cambodia
Reported operator · Canada
Users · Users
Canada — L/60 Bofors ( Boffin ) used by the Royal Canadian Navy on 12 Kingston-class coastal defence vessels
Reported operator · Chad
Users · Users
Chad
Reported operator · Chile
Users · Users
Chile
Reported operator · Croatia
Users · Users
Croatia
Reported operator · Colombia
Users · Users
Colombia — M1A1 Bofors
Reported operator · Democratic Republic of the Congo
Users · Users
Democratic Republic of the Congo — L/60 Katanga — Known as Beaufort
Reported operator · Katanga
Users · Users
Katanga — Known as Beaufort
Reported operator · Cyprus
Users · Users
Cyprus — M1 Bofors
Reported operator · Czech Republic
Users · Users
Czech Republic
Reported operator · Denmark
Users · Users
Denmark — Obtained manufacturing licenses during the 1930s for the L/60, but production never started. After World War II, Bofors L/60 guns were obtained.
Reported operator · Dominican Republic
Users · Users
Dominican Republic
Reported operator · Ecuador
Users · Users
Ecuador — M1A1
Reported operator · Egypt
Users · Users
Egypt
Reported operator · Estonia
Users · Users
Estonia — Used by the air defence artillery group and on submarines
Reported operator · Finland
Users · Users
Finland — L/60 built under license before WW2
Reported operator · France
Users · Users
France
Reported operator · Gambia
Users · Users
Gambia
Reported operator · Germany (Nazi)
Users · Users
Germany (Nazi) — Used captured examples as the 4 cm FlaK 28 .
Reported operator · Germany
Users · Users
Germany
Reported operator · Georgia
Users · Users
Georgia — Used on Coast Guard ships and vessels
Reported operator · Guatemala
Users · Users
Guatemala
Reported operator · Greece (1935–1973)
Users · Users
Greece (1935–1973) — Obtained manufacturing licenses during the 1930s, but production never started. M1 Bofors also used.
Reported operator · Greece
Users · Users
Greece — M1 Bofors.
Reported operator · Hungary
Users · Users
Hungary — L/60 built under license as the 4 cm 36M Légvédelmi Gépágyú ( 4 cm 36M Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun ). Also used to armed 40M Nimród SPAAG .
Reported operator · Iceland
Users · Users
Iceland
Reported operator · India
Users · Users
India
Reported operator · Israel
Users · Users
Israel
Reported operator · Ireland
Users · Users
Ireland — Taken out of use in 2016 on decommissioning of last naval vessel using it.
Reported operator · Iraq
Users · Users
Iraq
Reported operator · Italy
Users · Users
Italy — Bofors M1 used under designation Cannone contraereo 40/60 .
Reported operator · Ivory Coast
Users · Users
Ivory Coast
Reported operator · Japan
Users · Users
Japan
Reported operator · Jordan
Users · Users
Jordan
Reported operator · Republic of Korea
Users · Users
Republic of Korea — L/60 and M1 variants
Reported operator · Lebanon
Users · Users
Lebanon
Reported operator · Libya
Users · Users
Libya
Reported operator · Latvia
Users · Users
Latvia
Reported operator · Lithuania
Users · Users
Lithuania
Reported operator · Malaysia
Users · Users
Malaysia
Reported operator · Mexico
Users · Users
Mexico
Reported operator · Malta
Users · Users
Malta
Reported operator · Montenegro
Users · Users
Montenegro
Reported operator · Myanmar
Users · Users
Myanmar — M1 Bofors
Reported operator · Nepal
Users · Users
Nepal — 2 L/60 guns
Reported operator · Nicaragua
Users · Users
Nicaragua — 6 to 8 M1A1 guns
Reported operator · Nigeria
Users · Users
Nigeria
Reported operator · Biafra
Users · Users
Biafra — Used guns captured from Nigerian Army .
Reported operator · Norway
Users · Users
Norway — L/60 built under license before WW2, Bofors M1
Reported operator · New Zealand
Users · Users
New Zealand
Reported operator · Oman
Users · Users
Oman
Reported operator · Pakistan
Users · Users
Pakistan
Reported operator · Panama
Users · Users
Panama
Reported operator · Papua New Guinea
Users · Users
Papua New Guinea
Reported operator · Paraguay
Users · Users
Paraguay — M1A1 and L/60
Reported operator · Peru
Users · Users
Peru — 24 Bofors L/60, originally ordered by Spain but not delivered due to the civil war.
Reported operator · Philippines
Users · Users
Philippines
Reported operator · Poland
Users · Users
Poland — L/60 built under license as 40-mm armata przeciwlotnicza Bofors wz. 36
Reported operator · Portugal
Users · Users
Portugal — M1
Reported operator · Qatar
Users · Users
Qatar
Reported operator · Romania
Users · Users
Romania — 54 pieces delivered by Germany during the first half of World War II
Reported operator · Senegal
Users · Users
Senegal
Role
Lead · explicitly stated equipment role
The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 (often referred to simply as the "Bofors 40 mm gun" , the "Bofors gun" and the like, see name ) is an anti-aircraft autocannon , designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors .
Source measurement
Article text · Lead · p 1
The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 (often referred to simply as the "Bofors 40 mm gun" , the "Bofors gun" and the like, see name ) is an anti-aircraft autocannon , designed in the 1930s by the Swedish arms manufacturer AB Bofors . The gun was designed as an intermediate anti-aircraft gun, filling the gap between fast firing close-range small calibre anti-aircraft guns and slower firing long-range high calibre anti-aircraft guns. For its time, the Bofors 40 mm L/60 was perfectly suited for this role and outperformed competing designs in the years leading up to World War II in both effectiveness and reliability.
Source measurement
Article text · Lead · p 3
In the post-war era, the Bofors 40 mm L/60 design was not suitable for action against jet-powered aircraft, so Bofors developed a new 40 mm replacement design with significantly more power—the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 , also known under the generic name 'Bofors 40 mm gun'—which was adopted by many nations during the Cold War and was selected as NATO-standard in November 1953. The Bofors 40 mm L/60 would however continue to see service long after becoming obsolete as an anti-aircraft weapon due to the massive number of surplus guns from WWII, and a small number of Bofors 40 mm L/60 guns remain in service today. Some weapons saw action as late as the Gulf War and Yugoslav Wars .
Source measurement
Article text · Name · p 4
The Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 is known under a variety of names around the world. In common historical nomenclatures it is commonly known under the names Bofors 40 mm gun , 40 mm Bofors gun and Bofors gun . This mostly stems from Western Allied usage of the gun during World War II. For example, British anti-air batteries armed with the gun during the war received the nickname "The Bofors Boys". There were other guns by Bofors which also had these nicknames, the most common being the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 , leading some to think they are the same gun.
Source measurement
Article text · Name · p 5
Bofors itself never marketed the gun or its variants with a clear standardized name or abbreviation. In the vast majority of 1930s marketing material the gun is sold under a variety of descriptive names depending on the configuration, such as: "40 mm Automatic Field Gun L/60" to "40 mm Automatic A.A. Gun L/60 in Field Carriage" or "40 mm Automatic Naval Gun L/60" to "40 mm Automatic A.A. Gun L/60 in Naval Mounting". This theme transfers over to other languages as well: Swedish : 40 mm fältautomatkanon L/60 , German : 40 mm feldluftautomatkanone L/60 , Spanish : Cañón automatico de campaña de 40 mm L/60 Bofors . Only the caliber of 40 mm and caliber length of L/60 are somewhat universal in branding.
Source measurement
Article text · Name · p 6
Due to this the gun is often specified by the calibre length "L/60". Enthusiasts and experts usually call the gun "Bofors 40 mm L/60" or simply "Bofors 40/60" and the like. In some Bofors material the gun is standardized under the English name "Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60".
Source measurement
Article text · Name / Calibre length · p 7
Contrary to the name, the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 has an actual barrel length of 56.25 calibres – 2,250 mm (7 ft 5 in). Due to this, the gun can at times be found under the designation L/56 . The L/60 calibre length – 2,400 mm (94 in) – refers to the length of the barrel and breech mounted as a unit. The gun has also been cited with a caliber length of L/62 on occasion. This refers to the length of the barrel – 2,250 mm – when equipped with the conical flash hider – 250 mm (9.8 in); amounting to a length of 2,500 mm (8 ft 2 in), or 62.5 calibres. Similarly, the shorter L/43 calibre length – 1,720 mm (5 ft 8 in) – refers to the length of the barrel and breech mounted as a unit. The actual barrel length is 1,570 mm (5 ft 2 in) – 39.25 calibres. With a flash hider or muzzle brake mounted the barrel length becomes 1,740 mm (5 ft 9 in) or 1,760 mm (5 ft 9 in).
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 8
In 1922, the Swedish Navy purchased a number of 40 mm 2-pounder "pom-poms" from Vickers as anti-aircraft guns. The navy approached Bofors about the development of a more capable replacement, and Bofors signed a contract in late 1928. The company produced a gun that was a smaller version of a 57 mm (6-pounder) semi-automatic gun, developed as an anti- torpedo boat weapon in the late 19th century by Finspång . Bofors' first test gun was a re-barrelled Nordenfelt version of the Finspång gun, to which was added a semi-automatic loading mechanism.
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 10
During that period, Krupp purchased a one-third share of Bofors. Krupp engineers began the process of updating the Bofors factories with modern equipment and metallurgy, but the 40 mm project was kept secret.
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 11
The prototype was completed and fired in November 1931 and, by the middle of the month, it was firing strings of two and three rounds. Changes to the feed mechanism were all that remained and, by the end of the year, the gun was operating at 130 rounds per minute. The development needed to turn it into a weapon suitable for production was completed in October 1933. Because acceptance trials had been passed the year before, it became known as the "40 mm akan M/32". Most forces referred to it as the "Bofors 40 mm L/60", although the barrel was actually 56.25 calibres in length, not the 60 calibres that the name implied.
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 12
The gun fired a 900 g (2.0 lb) high explosive shell at 2,960 ft/s (900 m/s) from a 40 × 311 rimmed cartridge. The rate of fire was normally about 120 rounds per minute (2 rounds per second), which increased slightly when the barrels were closer to the horizon, because gravity assisted the feeding from the top-mounted magazine. Practical firing rates were closer to 80–100 rpm, because the rounds were fed into the breech from four-round clips which had to be replaced by hand. The maximum attainable ceiling was 7,200 m (23,600 ft), but the practical maximum was about 3,800 m (12,500 ft).
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 14
In spite of the successful development, the Swedish Navy changed its mind and decided it needed a smaller hand-traversed weapon of 13 mm-25 mm size, and tested various designs from foreign suppliers. With the development of the 40 mm well advanced, Bofors offered a 25 mm version in 1932, which was eventually selected as the Bofors 25 mm M/32 .
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 15
The first version of the 40 mm the Swedish Navy ordered was intended for use on submarines, because the larger calibre allowed the gun to be used both as an anti-aircraft gun, and against smaller ships. The barrel was shorter, at 43 calibres, which reduced the muzzle velocity to about 700 m/s (2,300 ft/s). When not in use, the gun was pointed directly up and retracted into a watertight cylinder. The only known submarines that used that arrangement were the Sjölejonet -class boats. The guns were later removed when the submarines were modified with streamlined conning towers.
Source measurement
Article text · Development · p 18
Orders for the land-based versions were immediate, starting with one for eight weapons from Belgium in August 1935, followed by a flood of orders from other forces including Poland, Norway, and Finland. It was accepted into the Swedish Army the next year, and known as the "40 mm lvakan m/36", the lower-case "m" indicating an army model as opposed to the capital "M" for the navy.
Source measurement
Article text · Development / Licensed production · p 19
Within a few years AB Bofors received a number of orders from foreign governments including Poland, Finland, Greece and Norway negotiated for licenses to produce the gun and its ammunition. By 1939 Bofors guns were in production across Europe for many armies in a bewildering arrangement of cross-deals. For instance, the United Kingdom took out a license, but was in such a hurry to re-arm with the Bofors gun that it also purchased some from Poland and Hungary. France wanted to set up a line but purchased guns from Poland. Poland meanwhile developed its own version of Bofors gun, contributing a lighter carriage (in the 40 mm armata przeciwlotnicza Bofors wz. 36 ) which was later adopted by the British.
Source measurement
Article text · Development / Licensed production · p 20
The Swedish navy adopted the weapon as the m/36 in two versions: hand-worked single air-cooled, and power-operated twin water-cooled. A twin air-cooled mounting, probably hand-worked, was also used by the navies of Sweden and Argentina, and a twin air-cooled wet mounting was developed for Polish submarines.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions · p 21
The British Army had first examined the weapon in 1937, when it received a number of Polish-built examples for testing. They were known as the "QF 40 mm Mark I" (QF standing for "quick firing" ). With a minor change to the flash hider , they were designated "Mark I/2". A production licence was acquired, and the gun was converted from metric to imperial measurements. Numerous changes were made to the design so that it was more suitable for mass production, because the original Bofors design was intended to be hand-assembled. Many parts were labelled "file to fit on assembly", requiring many man-hours of work to complete.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions · p 23
In that form, the "QF 40 mm Mark III" (Mk II was a designation used for a version of the naval "pom-pom" anti-aircraft gun), became the army's standard light anti-aircraft (AA) weapon, operating alongside their 3-inch 20 cwt and 3.7-inch heavy AA guns. British production started slowly and, by September 1939 only 233 equipments had been produced. However, by the end of the war, the total production of British, Canadian and Australian factories numbered over 19,000. The peak production year was 1942, when British factories produced 5,025 and Canadian factories produced 1,311.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions · p 24
In combat, it was found that the Kerrison was difficult to set up in many situations, as well as making logistics more complex, due to the need to keep its electrical generator supplied with fuel. In most engagements, only the pancake sights were used, without any form of correction, making the British versions less capable than those used by other forces. Eventually, an anti-aircraft gunnery school on the range at Stiffkey on the Norfolk coast, delivered a workable solution, a trapeze-like arrangement that moved the pancake sights to offer lead correction, operated by a new crew-member standing behind the left-hand layer. The "Stiffkey Sight" was sent out to units in 1943, arriving in Canadian units in the midst of the Battle of the Aleutian Islands . A final wartime change to the elevation mechanism resulted in the "QF 40 mm Mark XII". A much lighter, two-wheeled carriage was also developed for airborne use.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions · p 25
The army experimented with various self-propelled anti-aircraft guns based on various tank chassis. Changes to the breech for that role created the "QF 40 mm Mark VI", which was used on the Crusader tank to produce the Crusader III AA Mark I . The main self-propelled version of the Bofors was the gun mounted on a chassis derived from the Morris C8 "Quad" artillery tractor, which was known as the "Carrier, 30 cwt, SP, 4×4, 40 mm AA (Bofors)" or Morris-Commercial C9/B. Such guns were used in support of army divisions, to provide swift protection against air attack without the need to unlimber. They saw service in north-west Europe, where six SP Bofors of 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery, landed with the British 3rd Infantry Division on Sword Beach on D-Day, to protect the vital bridges over the Caen Canal and the Orne River ( Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge ), shooting down 17 German planes. Later in the campaign, SP Bofors were used extensively for ground shoots as well as in an anti-aircraft role.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Army and RAF Regiment versions · p 28
No 2875 Squadron RAF Regiment, employing the L60, became the first unit to shoot down a jet aircraft, a Messerschmitt Me 262 , with ground-based anti-aircraft fire, at Helmond in the Netherlands on 28 November 1944. Although the Allied air forces had achieved air superiority by the Normandy landings, Advanced Landing Grounds continued to be high-priority targets for the Luftwaffe when the opportunity presented, and that ensured that the RAF Regiment's L60s continued to be heavily used. For example, on New Year's Day 1945, during the Battle of the Bulge , RAF Regiment Light Anti-Aircraft squadrons shot down 43 German aircraft and damaged 28 others during the Operation Bodenplatte attacks on eleven RAF forward airfields. There were insufficient guns available to equip the RAF Regiment squadrons in the Far East during the war, and they had to make do mostly with 20 mm Hispano and Oerlikon 20 mm guns.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Naval versions · p 31
The Royal Navy also made extensive use of the Bofors. Its first examples were air-cooled versions quickly adapted for ships during the withdrawal from Norway . After the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940, the Dutch minelayer, HNLMS Willem van der Zaan , gave the navy its first example of a water-cooled gun on its Hazemeyer tri-axially stabilized mounting. Locally produced examples started arriving in 1942, known as the "QF 40 mm Mark IV" with twin-mounts, or the "QF 40 mm Mark V" with single mounts. The navy ran through a variety of versions of the basic Bofors gun over the war, including the Mark VII to Mark XI. The British light anti-aircraft weapon already in use with the Royal Navy's, the QF 2-pounder gun , also had a calibre of 40 mm, but was referred to as the QF 2-pdr.
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Naval versions · p 41
The Mounting Mark V (Mark VC for Canadian built examples) for the 20 mm Oerlikon and QF 2 pounder guns was also adopted initially as an interim mount for the Bofors. It was a single-barrelled mounting with hydraulic power, and was known as the "Boffin".
Source measurement
Article text · British versions / Naval versions · p 42
The mounting was heavy (17.5 tons) and the high-vibration of the gun mounting made it a poor location for sensitive valve electronics and mechanical computers.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 46
The United States Navy 's Bureau of Ordnance purchased a twin-mount air-cooled example, spare parts and 3,000 rounds of ammunition directly from Bofors, which arrived in New York on 28 August 1940 aboard the Army transport USAT American Legion , which had evacuated 897 people, including members of the Norwegian royal family, through the Finnish port of Petsamo . During that month another Dutch ship, the Van Kinsbergen , demonstrated the Hazemeyer mount to Navy observers. The gun was quickly chosen as the Navy's standard anti-aircraft weapon over the British 40 mm calibre, 2-pounder pom-pom ; however, negotiations with Bofors for licensed production stalled when the Swedes requested airplane export and manufacturing licenses in return. Reportedly, the Navy secretly imported a set of imperial designs from Britain and started production illegally. A formal contract with Bofors was reached in June 1941. The resulting Mark 1 and Mark 2 weapons were intended for the left and right side of a twin mount, respectively, and were adapted by Chrysler for water cooling.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 47
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, the existing 1.1" (28 mm) quad mount and .50 caliber machine guns were determined to be inadequate against modern aircraft, and their replacement by 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon weapons was accelerated.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 47
The 40 mm quadruple mount was developed by essentially mounting two twin mounts side by side.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 47
Essentially all US naval mountings were twin or quadruple. 40 mm weapons were eventually mounted on virtually every naval and armed auxiliary vessel larger than a small landing craft.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 47
After the war, the 3"/50 caliber gun Mark 27 twin mount began to replace the Bofors, because the "VT" proximity fuse would not fit a 40mm projectile, and the 40 mm weapon was considered inadequate against the emerging anti-ship missile threat.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 47
The twin 3" mount was intended to be the same weight as the 40mm quad mount, but was somewhat heavier in practice, which had to be compensated for.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Naval · p 47
Except on destroyers and new construction, the Navy was slow in phasing out the 40 mm gun, and it continued in active Navy service through the Korean War.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
In 1938 the United States Army introduced a 37 mm gun of their own design, but found it to be of limited performance.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
By the middle part of the war, most of the 37 mm guns had been replaced by the 40 mm.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
Army and Marine Corps service, the single mount Bofors was known as the 40 mm Automatic Gun M1 .
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
II high-explosive shell as well as the M81A1 armor-piercing round, which was capable of penetrating some 50 mm of homogeneous armor plate at a range of 500 yards.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
In the Army, each Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA) auto-weapons battalion was authorized a total of thirty-two 40 mm guns in its four firing batteries.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
Marine division had a "special weapons battalion" that included sixteen 40 mm guns; in early 1944 these were replaced with anti-aircraft battalions with twelve 40 mm guns.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 49
Marine defense battalions also used the 40 mm gun.
Source measurement
Article text · U.S. versions / Army · p 50
During World War II, the twin mount version of the gun was mounted on an M24 Chaffee tank chassis as the M19 Gun Motor Carriage . In the 1950s, the M41 Walker Bulldog tank was heavily modified into the M42 Duster with the same twin 40 mm mounting. After being largely withdrawn from service in the early 1960s, the M42 was re-introduced beginning in 1966 for the Vietnam War , where it was mostly used for ground fire support. Following the withdrawal from Vietnam in the early 1970s, the M42 was retained in National Guard service until finally retired in 1988.
Source measurement
Article text · Captured examples · p 51
In World War II Germany, the Wehrmacht used a number of Bofors guns which had been captured in Poland and France. The Kriegsmarine also operated some guns obtained from Norway. In German naval use, the gun was designated the "4 cm FlaK 28" , and was variously used aboard individual examples of many different classes of warship, including but not limited to; the cruisers Admiral Hipper and Prinz Eugen toward the end of the war; M1940-class minesweeper; vorpostenboot . Beginning in 1942, several 'S 38 type' schnellboote were equipped with the Flak 28, enabling them to fight against British MGBs and MTBs on equal terms.
Source measurement
Article text · Captured examples · p 52
Germany also purchased a large number (200+) of Hungarian-made Bofors guns. In return, Hungary received a 75 mm PaK 40 gun for every 4-5 Bofors. The Wehrmacht used Hungarian guns after German occupation of Hungary from late 1944. Most of them were lost during the fights in Budapest and Transdanubia .
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/43 · p 54
The Bofors 40 mm L/43 is a submarine variant of L/60 with retractable mounting, and using low propellant charge ammunition.
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 · p 55
The L/60 remained in front-line service well into the 1980s and 1990s although it had been replaced in production by the Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/70 . In most cases, these were the ground anti-aircraft versions, as a suitable replacement in this role did not come along until the introduction of truly effective MANPADS missiles in the 1980s and 1990s.
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 · p 57
The L/60 saw active service with the Argentinian and British navies in the 1982 Falklands War and continued to be used into the 1990s, when it was replaced by modern 20 mm and 30 mm artillery.
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 · p 60
Ships of the Norwegian and Icelandic Coast Guards continue to use the 40mm Bofors gun.
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 · p 62
The last 40 mm L/60 Bofors in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) were used as the main weapon aboard the Attack -class and Fremantle -class patrol boats and for training purposes at the West Head gunnery range at HMAS Cerberus . These were removed from service during 2007; Bofors were used aboard almost every RAN ship to operate between the 1940s and the 1990s, including the aircraft carriers Sydney and Melbourne .
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 / AC-130 Gunship · p 64
Since the beginning of the 1970s, the 40 mm Bofors L/60s have been used in the United States Air Force 's Lockheed AC-130 gunships in the air-to-ground role. Between 2006 and 2012, there were plans to remove these and the 20 mm M61 Vulcans from newer AC-130U variants and replace them with 30 mm autocannons. However, these plans did not come to fruition at the time, and the 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Vulcans remained in service as of 2009 , though the later W- and upcoming J-model variants have 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II autocannons instead.
Source measurement
Article text · Service use / Bofors 40 mm Automatic Gun L/60 / AC-130 Gunship · p 65
When four additional AC-130Us were to be converted from 2002, the necessary 40 mm L/60 guns had to be salvaged from old M42 targets at the Nellis AFB range. The final 40 mm L/60 guns in US service were retired in 2020 with the last of the AC-130Us.
Source measurement
Article text · Variants / Gun variants · li 74
Bofors 40 mm L/60 Model 1932 — Unofficial designation of the prototype gun, made for Swedish Navy's official trials. Bofors 40 mm L/43 Model 1932 — A short-barrel version for submarines that was to be stowed in a waterproof tubular container located in the conning tower or under the decking.
Source measurement
Article text · Variants / Gun variants · li 76
Bofors 40 mm L/60 Model 1934 — Improved model, exported to several countries but not adopted by the Swedish military.
Source measurement
Article text · Variants / Gun variants · li 77
Bofors 40 mm L/60 Model 1936 — Slightly further improved model adopted by the Swedish military, as well as other countries.
Source measurement
Article text · Variants / Gun variants · li 79
40 mm L/56 Mark 1 / 40 mm L/56 Mark 2 — US Navy water-cooled variants with interchangeable barrel assemblies. Both were used for all twin and quad mountings.
Source measurement
Article text · Variants / Gun variants · li 80
40 mm L/56 M1 — US Army air-cooled version. Barrel assemblies were interchangeable with British and Canadian Bofors guns. US Navy used a modified version for single mountings.
Wikipedia ↗
Country of origin
List of equipment of the Indian Army · Air defence systems · Anti-aircraft guns · Towed anti-aircraft guns · table 9, row 8 · revision 1377113086 · Origin column 5
Bofors L/60 Anti-aircraft gun Unknown Sweden Status: In service (To be replaced by Sudarshan CIWS).
Wikipedia ↗
Country of origin
Paraguayan Army · Equipment · Air defence systems · Towed anti-aircraft guns · table 8, row 2 · revision 1349740034 · Origin column 4
Bofors L/60 Anti-aircraft gun Sweden 16

Reference text from Wikipedia contributors, used under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Measurement history Earlier and superseded figures

Evidence over time

Points represent sourced observations, including revisions. Revisions on the same effective date are not separate inventory events. Ranges appear in the table and are not plotted as exact points.

Observation / report period	Value	Source	Claim state
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	approved
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded
28 Sept 2026	2.25 m	Wikipedia contributors	superseded

Operator countries

69 countries documented

Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun equipment records. Variants, orders and quantities are shown as reported in each inventory source; coverage is incomplete.

Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bangladesh
Belgium
Belize
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brunei
Cambodia
Canada
Chad
Chile
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czechia
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Georgia
Germany
Greece
Guatemala
Hungary
Iceland
India
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Ivory Coast
Japan
Jordan
Latvia
Lebanon
Libya
Lithuania
Malaysia
Malta
Mexico
Montenegro
Morocco
Myanmar
Nepal
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
16Reported holdingsBofors 40 mm L/60 gun · reported variants · Paraguayan ArmyEstimate · Period Source snapshot 2026-10-01 · inventory date unstated · Wikipedia list · original not yet checked
Count scope
Reported count for Bofors L/60. Service scope: Paraguayan Army; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Retired, wholly reserve and on-order rows are excluded; the reported count retains any explicitly mixed stock scope in the quoted row. Count column(s): quantity: 16. Origin: Sweden. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
1Reported holdingsBofors 40 mm L/60 gun · reported variants · Portuguese Navy shipsEstimate · Period Source snapshot 2026-09-30 · inventory date unstated · Wikipedia list · original not yet checked
Count scope
Reported count for Bofors 40mm L/60. Service scope: Portuguese Navy ships; does not replace a national total. 1 distinct count cell(s) from the same source list; shared rowspan cells counted once. Excludes retired/reserve/on-order rows. Count column(s): quantity: 1. Origin: Sweden. The listed variants/roles are the scope, not an immediately deployable count. The components do not establish one inventory census date; the stored date is the retrieved source snapshot.
Qatar
Romania
Senegal
South Korea
The Gambia
Türkiye

Additional operator references

Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belize, Brunei, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, Chile, Croatia, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Katanga, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Gambia, Germany (Nazi), Germany, Georgia, Guatemala, Greece (1935–1973), Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Israel, Ireland, Iraq, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Republic of Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Malta, Montenegro, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Biafra, Norway, New Zealand, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Senegal

Equipment reference ↗

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Bofors 40 mm L/60 gun

Specifications

Dimensions & mass

Performance

Systems & armament

Programme

Evidence over time

Operator countries

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