Oerlikon KBA
| Oerlikon KBA 25 mm | |
|---|---|
| Type | Autocannon |
| Place of origin | Switzerland |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1975 – present |
| Used by | See operators |
| Production history | |
| Designer | TRW Inc. Oerlikon-Bührle |
| Designed | TRW model 6425: designed in 1964–66, programme bought by Oerlikon-Bührle in 1967 KBA design: 1967–73 |
| Manufacturer | Oerlikon-Bührle (1973–1989) Oerlikon Contraves AG (1989–1999) Rheinmetall Air Defence AG (1999–2004) Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A (2004–present) Licence manufacturers:
|
| Developed from | TRW model 6425 |
| Produced | Since 1973 |
| No. built | >6,000 (3,084 were made as of January 2003) |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 112 kg (247 lb) |
| Length | 2,806 mm (110.5 in) |
| Barrel length | 2,173 mm (85.6 in) |
| Width | 263 mm (10.4 in) |
| Height | 283 mm (11.1 in) |
| Shell | NATO 25×137mm |
| Caliber | 25 mm (L/87) |
| Action | Gas operated |
| Breech | Rotating bolt (two-piece snaplock) |
| Recoil | Hydromechanical |
| Rate of fire | Single shot; Rapid single shot: 175 rpm; Burst: 600 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity | 1,100 m/s (3,600 ft/s) 1,400 m/s (4,600 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 2,700 m (8,900 ft) |
| Maximum firing range | 5,850 m (19,190 ft) |
| Feed system | Dual Feed |
The Oerlikon KBA is a 25 mm (25×137 mm) automatic cannon which was developed as a close-range multi-purpose weapon for the mechanized battlefield. It was originally manufactured by Oerlikon (now Rheinmetall AG), and is currently produced at Rheinmetall Italia S.p.A. facilities. It features a positively locked breech and is gas and recoil-operated, with a rotating bolt head and a dual ammunition feeding system using 25×137 mm NATO ammunition. The rate of fire in burst mode is up to 600 rounds per minute, but it can be electronically adjusted and reduced to a selectable range between 100 and 175 rounds per minute, or single-shot mode.
Thanks to its high rate of fire, one of the highest in its class, and to the new 25×137 mm C-UAS ammunition technology, the KBA provides effective self-protection against drones. The dual ammunition feeder allows two different types of ammunition to be loaded, as well as rapid switching between them. This gives the 25 mm KBA true dual-mission capability. Its low recoil of less than 10 kN enables installation on various platforms, ranging from turrets for heavy tracked vehicles to remote controlled weapon stations (RCWS) for light armoured 4×4 reconnaissance vehicles.