March 1, 2016 / 1:28 PM

Saab orders Mauser BK-27 cannons for its Gripen fighters

A Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with a firing rate of 1,000-1,700 rounds per minute. Photo by Petr Kadlec/Wikimedia Commons

A Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon with a firing rate of 1,000-1,700 rounds per minute. Photo by Petr Kadlec/Wikimedia Commons

DUSSELDORF, Germany, March 1 (UPI) -- German defense company Rheinmetall is supplying its Mauser BK-27 automatic revolver cannon for new Saab Gripen NG fighters for the Swedish and Brazilian air forces.

The weapon system for 88 fighters will come with a newly developed linkless ammunition feeding system and be delivered to Saab between 2017 and 2025.

The linked ammunition-feeding version of the gas-operated cannon is a standard weapon on the multi-role Tornado aircraft.

Rheinmetall did not give a specific figure in regard to the value of the contract from Saab but did say the award it received contains provisions for service support and spare parts.

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