Millennium is a land-based AA weapon system that has been adapted for Naval use. The 35 mm KDG was originally developed by Oerlikon Contraves but the company has since been purchased by Rheinmetall. The weapon is a gas-operated revolver cannon with four chambers.
These guns are fitted with triple-coil muzzle velocity gauge and fuze-setter for use with Advanced Hit Efficiency And Destruction (AHEAD) projectiles. The first two coils are located 3.9 inches (10 cm) apart and measure the exact projectile velocity. This is then used to calculate the fuze setting so as to achieve the proper flight time. The third coil then imparts this data to the fuze via a electro-induction system. The fuze itself is a high-precision timer which detonates the expelling charge at a given distance in front of the target.
Lockheed Martin is the U.S. licensee to Oerlikon Contraves for sale and manufacture of the gun systems. The USN performed evaluation testing of this weapon system in 2005, but has decided not to purchase.
In use by the Danish, Saudi Arabian and Venezuelan navies. On Danish vessels these guns will be controlled by the SaabTech CEROS 200 radar/electro-optical fire control systems and the Terma Command Management System of the CSS.
The "1000" in the designation is a reference to the rate of fire. The actual gun barrel length is about 79 calibers.
| Designation | Gun: Oerlikon 35 mm/1000 KDG Mounting: Millennium GDM-008 |
|---|---|
| Ship Class Used On | Royal Danish Navy: Absalom class Combat Support Ships and Iver Huitfeldt class frigates
Saudi Arabia: Al Jubail class corvettes Venezuela: Guaiqueri and Guaicamacuto classes offshore patrol vessels |
| Date Of Design | about 1995 |
| Date In Service | 2003 |
| Gun Weight | 992 lbs. (450 kg) |
| Gun Length oa | 161.8 in (4.110 m) |
| Bore Length | 108.9 in (2.766 m) |
| Rifling Length | N/A |
| Grooves | 24 |
| Lands | N/A |
| Twist | RH Progressive |
| Chamber Volume | N/A |
| Rate Of Fire | 1,000 rounds per minute cyclic 1 |
- ^Weapon may be set to fire single shots, 200 rounds per minute or 1,000 rounds per minute.
| Type | Fixed |
|---|---|
| Weight of Complete Round | AHEAD 1a - 3.90 lbs. (1.77 kg)
HEI - 3.48 lbs. (1.58 kg) APDS-T 2a - 3.19 lbs. (1.445 kg) |
| Projectile Types and Weights | AHEAD - 1.65 lbs. (0.750 kg)
HEI - 1.21 lbs. (0.55 kg) APDS-T - 0.84 lbs. (0.38 kg) |
| Bursting Charge | AHEAD - N/A (uses 152 sub-projectiles of 3.3 gms each)
HEI - 0.25 lbs. (0.112 kg) APDS-T - N/A - solid penetrator weighs 0.666 lbs. (0.302 kg) |
| Projectile Length | N/A
Complete Round - AHEAD - 15.23 in (38.7 cm) Complete Round - HEI - 15.23 in (38.7 cm) Complete Round - APDS-T - 13.39 in (34.0 cm) |
| Propellant Charge | 0.73 lbs. (0.33 kg) NC 01 T 35 (single based) |
| Cartridge | 35 x 228 mm |
| Muzzle Velocity | AHEAD - 3,445 fps (1,050 mps)
HEI - 3,854 fps (1,175 mps) APDS-T - 4,724 fps (1,440 mps) |
| Working Pressure | 24.6 tons / in2 (3,875 kg / cm2) |
| Approximate Barrel Life | N/A |
| Ammunition stowage per gun | 200 to 252 ready rounds on mount 3a |
| Target | Keep-out Ranges |
|---|---|
| Fighter aircraft/attack helicopters | 3,830 yards (3,500 m) |
| Guided missiles/cruise missiles | 2,190 yards (2,000 m) |
| Anti-radiation and sea-skimmer missiles | 1,640 yards (1,500 m) |
| Distance | Flight Time |
|---|---|
| 1,090 yards (1,000 m) | 1.05 seconds |
| 2,190 yards (2,000 m) | 2.34 seconds |
| 3,280 yards (3,000 m) | 3.98 seconds |
| Distance | Flight Time |
|---|---|
| 1,090 yards (1,000 m) | 0.96 seconds |
| 2,190 yards (2,000 m) | 2.18 seconds |
| 3,280 yards (3,000 m) | 3.80 seconds |
| 4,370 yards (4,000 m) | 6.06 seconds |
| Distance | Flight Time |
|---|---|
| 1,090 yards (1,000 m) | 0.73 seconds |
| 2,190 yards (2,000 m) | 1.54 seconds |
| 3,280 yards (3,000 m) | 2.38 seconds |
| 4,370 yards (4,000 m) | 3.34 seconds |
| Range | Vertical Armor |
|---|---|
| 1,100 yards (1,000 m) | 3.5 in (9 cm) |
Data from "Jane's Ammunition Handbook: Ninth Edition 2000-2001." Assumes 90 degree impact.
| Designation | Naval Mount 1b: Millennium GDM-008 |
|---|---|
| Weight | 7,055 lbs. (3,200 kg) including 200 rounds of ammunition
Weight can be between 3.6 and 5.2 tons (3.7 and 5.3 mt) depending upon configuration |
| Elevation | -15 / +85 degrees |
| Elevation Rate | 70 degrees per second maximum
Acceleration 130 degrees per second2 |
| Train | 360 degrees |
| Train Rate | 120 degrees per second maximum
Acceleration 160 degrees per second2 |
| Gun recoil | 0.79 inch (2.0 cm) |
- ^Naval mounts can be swapped out in about 30 minutes.
- This mounting operates from 24 Vdc.
"Jane's Ammunition Handbook: Ninth Edition 2000-2001" edited by Terry J. Gander and Charles Q. Cutshaw
"Jane's Armour and Artillery Upgrades 2000-2001" edited by Christopher F. Foss
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"Scalable Lethality Weapons: Requirements for Military & Naval Forces" by Andrew A. Bradick, presented at the NDIA 39th Annual Gun & Ammunition Missiles & Rockets Conference & Exhibition
"Oerlikon Ammunition for New Defense Environment" by Allan Buckley, Director Product Management, RWM Schweiz AG, presented at the NDIA 40th Annual Armament Systems: Guns - Ammunition - Rockets - Missiles Conference & Exhibition
"Effectiveness of Air Burst Munitions" by Pascal Paulissen, TNO Defence, Security and Safety, presented at the NDIA 44th Annual Gun & Ammunition Symposium & Exhibition
"Modular Design of Direct Fire Medium Caliber Gun Systems for Joint Operations" by Mr. Andrew Bradick, Consultant, presented at the NDIA Joint Armaments Conference, Exhibition & Firing Demonstration, May 2010
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Jane's 360 articles:
- "Denmark signs for additional Millennium guns" by Richard Scott
- "Taiwan commissions 20,000-tonne combat support ship" by Gavin Phipps
Press releases:
Special help from Matthew Rodchenko
22 October 2008 - Benchmark
03 June 2010 - Added information about selectable firing rates, links to papers presented at NDIA Joint Armament Conference, miscellaneous additions
02 January 2012 - Corrected typographical error, added miscellaneous information
24 March 2014 - Corrected cartridge size
06 November 2015 - Added use by Venezuela
07 December 2022 - Converted to HTML 5 format, added use by Saudi Arabia