Turn the Tables on Piracy and Terrorism with the MLG 27 Light Naval Gun System from Rheinmetall
21 February 2007
The number of pirate attacks worldwide has tripled in the past decade, and new evidence suggests that piracy has become a key tactic of terrorist groups. With terrorists on the lookout for weak links in the world economy, this poses a serious threat: most of the world's oil and gas is shipped through pirate-infested waters.
Countering these twin threats requires affordable state-of-the-art naval self-defence systems capable of delivering massive firepower.
The MLG 27 light naval gun system from Rheinmetall is specifically designed for arming small surface combatants and support vessels, enabling effective engagement of fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, speedboats and nearby onshore targets. It can also serve as secondary armament on larger ships.
The system's highly-dynamic gun carriage, modern optronic sensors and advanced ammunition technology allow it to automatically or manually track and engage agile surface targets at both day and night. The system can be installed in nearly all classes of ships and boats with no need for deck penetration.
Rheinmetall has already supplied the German Navy with 55 MLG 27 systems, which are destined to become the standard medium-calibre weapon on German ships. Nearly 30 systems are already operational, having replaced the German Navy's existing 20mm and 40mm guns.
Under its foreign military sales programme, the US Department of Defence contracted with Rheinmetall in July 2006 to supply 12 (plus seven as an option) MLG 27 systems to arm the Mk V-C fast interceptor craft, diver support vessels and landing craft which the US are providing to the Kuwaiti Navy.
The MLG 27 is manufactured by Rheinmetall Waffe Munition Mauser Oberndorf unit, a global leader in medium-calibre weapon systems. Headquartered in Ratingen, Germany, Rheinmetall Waffe Munition is a subsidiary of Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall AG.
