On January 11, BAE Systems will celebrate the delivery of the 50th Mk 110 system to U.S. naval forces. It’s been all hands on deck at the BAE Systems facility in Louisville, Kentucky, where the team has been hard at work as the world’s leading provider of maritime gun systems to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard and allied nations. BAE Systems is currently under contract to deliver a total of 58 Mk 110 systems for several U.S. ship classes – both variants of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, the Coast Guard’s National Security Cutter and Offshore Patrol Cutter. The 57mm gun has also been selected for the Navy’s Constellation class (FFG 62) frigate program.
“Delivering our 50th Mk 110 to our U.S. customers is an extremely significant milestone, especially for our team in Louisville, who have worked diligently since 2008 to provide these naval guns to our Sailors and Guardsmen. The number of 57mm gun systems on order around the world continues to grow. This is a reliable, highly accurate naval gun that consistently meets quality requirements and capability needs – and Sailors across eight nations are benefiting from its effectiveness,” said Brent Butcher, vice president of the Weapon Systems product line at BAE Systems.
Known internationally as the 57 Mk 3, the Mk 110 is a versatile, multi-mission gun with an effective range in excess of 9 nautical miles. Paired with BAE Systems’ formidable six-mode programmable, pre-fragmented, and proximity-fused (3P) ammunition, the combination can effectively neutralize air, surface, or shore-based threats, including swarm boats and unmanned aerial systems. By virtue of its multi-mode design, the 3P round eliminates the need for multiple round types when engaging varied targets. The U.S. side of our naval weapons business adapted the 57mm gun to meet the needs of the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard after it was initially designed by our maritime gun manufacturer in Karlskoga, Sweden. For international customers, the Bofors 57 Mk3 is produced in Karlskoga.With the ability to fire up to 220 rounds per minute, the 57mm Mk 110 naval gun has become the medium-caliber deck gun of choice for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. This latest system is destined for the Coast Guard.
The BAE Systems team in Louisville is dedicated to the manufacture, overhaul, repair, and sustainment support of medium and major caliber gun systems such as the Mk 110 for the U.S. and allied navies. They manufacture several other key guns for the U.S. Navy including the 5-inch Mk 45, which serves as the centerpiece gun deployed on all Arleigh Burke class (DDG51) destroyers and Ticonderoga class (CG 47) cruisers. The Louisville facility is a fully equipped industrial complex with roughly 640,000 square feet of manufacturing, assembly, and test space to support our U.S. naval customers.
