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What muzzle velocity did the Oerlikon KCA cannon of the JA37 have?

Short answer

1,030 m/s (3,400 ft/s): that was the muzzle velocity of the 30 mm Oerlikon KCA, the cannon of the JA 37 Viggen fighter. Its effective range reached 2,500 m (8,200 ft) and its cartridge is 50% heavier than the NATO-standard 30 × 113 mm round used in the ADEN and DEFA cannons.

Published: November 1, 2026 · Updated: November 1, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What muzzle velocity did the Oerlikon KCA cannon of the JA37 have?
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A high-velocity 30 mm

The Oerlikon KCA fired with a muzzle velocity of 1,030 m/s (3,400 ft/s). That cannon became the armament of the JA 37 Viggen fighter. Its effective range was 2,500 m (8,200 ft).

Ammunition heavier than NATO standard

The KCA's cartridge is 50% heavier than the standard NATO 30 × 113 mm ammunition used in the ADEN and DEFA cannons. In the Viggen, the 30 mm Oerlikon automatic cannon was fitted with up to 150 rounds.

The aircraft that carried it

The first of the seven Viggen prototypes flew on 8 February 1967, as scheduled in the development timeline. In November 1977 the first production JA 37 Viggen made its first flight.

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