The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk – FMV) has awarded BAE Systems Bofors a contract to deliver four Bofors 57Mk3 57mm multirole naval gun systems to the Swedish Navy (Svenska marinen).
Scheduled for delivery between 2028 and 2029, the artillery systems will replace legacy naval guns aboard select Swedish Navy surface vessels and support planned fleet upgrades, including the prospective Luleå-class frigates. The agreement encompasses Bofors 57mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, Proximity-fused) ammunition, crew training, technical documentation, and integrated logistics support. Designed for all-weather air defense, anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and naval gunfire support (NGFS), the Bofors 57Mk3 system paired with 6-mode programmable 3P rounds provides automated multi-target interdiction against incoming anti-ship missiles, uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), and fast inshore attack craft (FIAC).
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: BAE SYSTEMS BOFORS 57MK3 NAVAL GUN SYSTEM & 3P AMMUNITION
Developer, Manufacturer & Contracting Authority
⚡ Lead Contractor: BAE Systems Bofors AB (Karlskoga, Sweden)
⚡ Sponsoring Authority: Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the Swedish Navy (Försvarsmakten)
⚡ Program Timeline: Scheduled delivery frame spanning 2028–2029 
Airframe & Turret Architecture
💥 Turret Configuration: Low Radar Cross-Section (RCS) stealth cupola with fully automated, remote-controlled computer loading
💥 System Weight: ~7,000 kg (dry gun mount) | ~14,000 kg (fully loaded with 1,000 rounds onboard)
💥 Mount Envelope: Elevation limits: -10° to +77° (at 44°/sec) | Traverse: 360° continuous (at 57°/sec)
💥 Operational Readiness: Time to open fire from standby condition: 2.2 seconds
Kinematics & Fire Performance Parameters
🚀 Caliber & Barrel Length: 57 mm / L70 caliber (3,990 mm bore length)
🚀 Rate of Fire: Up to 220 rounds per minute (4 rounds per second)
🚀 Muzzle Velocity: 1,035 m/s (3,395 ft/s)
🚀 Effective & Max Range: Effective tactical range: ~8,500 m | Maximum aerodynamic firing range: 17,000 m (at 45° elevation)
🚀 Internal Feed Magazine: 120 ready-to-fire rounds within the automated turret mount + dual hoists enabling instant switching between ammunition types
Bofors 57mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, Proximity-fused) Ammunition
🚀 Ordnance Shell: 57×438mm R complete round (6.5 kg per complete round; 2.4 kg pre-fragmented payload containing tungsten pellets)
🚀 Fuze Operating Modes: 6 Selectable Modes — (1) Gated Proximity (Air Defense/Missiles), (2) Gated Proximity with Impact Priority, (3) Time-Fuzed Airburst (C-UAS/Swarm USVs), (4) Impact (ASuW), (5) Armor-Piercing (Hardened Targets), and (6) Default Proximity
🚀 Targeting Programming: Automatic per-round muzzle programming via the ship’s Fire Control System (FCS) and muzzle velocity radar
TIMES OF DEFENCE ASSESSMENT
The FMV’s procurement of four additional Bofors 57Mk3 naval guns for delivery in 2028–2029 reflects Sweden’s ongoing naval modernization program as it aligns its maritime defense posture with NATO standards. Upgrading existing surface platforms with standardized 57mm Mk3 architectures ensures operational commonality across the Swedish Navy’s surface combatants—most notably the Visby-class corvettes and future surface combatants like the Luleå-class.
From an engineering perspective, the Bofors 57Mk3 paired with programmable 3P ammunition offers exceptional multi-role versatility for littoral and open-ocean operations. By combining a high rate of fire (220 rpm) with six selectable fuze modes per round, a single gun mount can alternate instantly from destroying armored surface vessels with impact charges to creating airburst tungsten fragmentation screens against low-RCS anti-ship missiles or asymmetric drone swarms. Furthermore, the low weight (14 tons loaded) and compact below-deck footprint allow seamless integration across a wide range of frigate, corvette, and offshore patrol vessel (OPV) hull designs.
