Munitions

40 mm Multi-purpose Tracer round

Also known as
  • 40 mm MP-T
  • 40mm MP-T
  • 40 mm MPT
  • MPT
  • MP-T
  • Multi Purpose Tracer
  • Multipurpose Tracer
  • 40 mm Multipurpose Tracer
  • 40 mm L/70 MPT
  • 40 mm L/70 MP-T
  • 40mm L/70 MP-T
  • 40/70B MPT

The 40 mm Multi-purpose Tracer round is a Swedish Bofors 40 mm L/70 cartridge for the 40/70B gun family. Jane's describes it as a complement to the PFHE Mk 2 shell for surface, ground, lightly armoured, and aerial targets, with 1,025 m/s muzzle velocity and about 20 mm RHA penetration at 1,000 m. Euro-SD later identified MPT as part of the Swedish Army CV9040's 24-round ready-use 40 mm load.

40 mm Multi-purpose Tracer round, 40 mm L/70 multi-purpose tracer round, Munitions
Image source: File:40x364mmR.jpg
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Sweden
Type
40 mm L/70 multi-purpose tracer round
Service note
1990s Swedish Bofors 40 mm L/70 ammunition

Specifications

Caliber
40 mm
Cartridge
40 x 365 mm R
Role
Multipurpose tracer round
Round mass
2.5 kg
Projectile mass
0.940 kg
Round length
534 mm
Muzzle velocity
1,025 m/s
Penetration
20 mm RHA at 1,000 m
Target set
Surface, ground, lightly armoured, and aerial targets
Effect
Fragment and incendiary effect after penetration
Gun fit
Bofors 40/70Ba and Bofors 40 mm L/70 gun-family context
Firing context
Swedish CV9040 ready-use 40 mm load
Carrier Platform

The Swedish Army CV9040 load is documented with 24 ready-use 40 mm rounds, including Multi-purpose Tracer rounds.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
CV90, Tracked infantry fighting vehicle, Armored VehiclesCV90Tracked infantry fighting vehicle

Euro-SD describes the CV9040 variant as carrying 24 ready-use 40 mm rounds, including Multi-purpose Tracer rounds.

Sources: European Infantry Fighting Vehicle Armament

40 mm L/70 Ammunition Context

The MPT round sits inside the Swedish 40 mm L/70 ammunition set rather than acting as a stand-alone weapon.

Documented role

Jane's describes MPT as a complement to PFHE Mk 2 for surface, ground, lightly armoured, and aerial targets.

Source: Jane's Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems 1993-94.

Firing system

Army Guide lists MPT among the ammunition types fired by the Bofors 40/70Ba gun used on CV90-family vehicles, alongside APFSDS-T, 3P, PFHE Mk 2, HE-T, and TP-T.

Source: Army Guide 40/70Ba.

Sibling catalog entries

Related catalog entries cover the programmable Bofors 40 mm 3P ammunition and kinetic-energy 40 mm APFSDS-T round members of the broader 40 mm family.

Sources: Bofors 3P and System Concept; European Infantry Fighting Vehicle Armament.

Timeline

40 mm Multi-purpose Tracer round Key Events

  1. Jane's documents the 40/70B ammunition set

    Jane's listed MPT among the ammunition types fired by the Bofors 40/70B gun and described the round's role, effect, muzzle velocity, and penetration figures.

    Sources: Jane's Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems 1993-94

  2. Euro-SD identifies MPT in the CV9040 ready-use load

    Christopher F. Foss reported that the Swedish Army CV9040 carries 24 ready-use 40 mm rounds, including Multi-purpose Tracer ammunition.

    Sources: European Infantry Fighting Vehicle Armament

Media

40 mm Multi-purpose Tracer round Images

40 mm Multi-purpose Tracer round, 40 mm L/70 multi-purpose tracer round, Munitions - view 1
Source: File:Bofors family.jpg
Related Weapon Systems
M940 MPT-SD cartridge, 20 mm multi-purpose tracer self-destruct cartridge, MunitionsMunitionsM940 MPT-SD cartridge20 mm multi-purpose tracer self-destruct cartridgeThe M940 MPT-SD is a U.S. 20x102 mm multi-purpose tracer self-destruct cartridge for the land-based Phalanx / C-RAM firing chain. Northrop Grumman identifies M940-1 and M940-2 as C-RAM-fired rounds, Army ammunition material describes LPWS/C-RAM employing M940 against incoming rockets, artillery shells, and mortar rounds, and FY2027 budget material lists AC34 M940 w/MK7 Link procurement through Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics option lines.
30 mm x 165 HEI-T round, 30x165 mm high-explosive incendiary tracer cartridge, MunitionsMunitions30 mm x 165 HEI-T round30x165 mm high-explosive incendiary tracer cartridgeThe 30 mm x 165 HEI-T round is a Soviet-origin high-explosive incendiary tracer cartridge in the 30x165 mm autocannon family, with the 3UOR6 designation used for a closely documented Russian-service round. STV GROUP, MSM Group, Yugoimport, METIS, and ordnance references tie the cartridge family to 2A38, 2A42, and 2A72 automatic cannons, making the round relevant to BMP-2, BMP-3, BMD-family, BTR-80A, Tunguska, and other 30x165 mm gun platforms.
40 mm Bofors projectile, 40 mm anti-aircraft gun projectile, MunitionsMunitions40 mm Bofors projectile40 mm anti-aircraft gun projectileThe 40 mm Bofors projectile covers the shell/projectile component used in Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft ammunition, with sourced coverage centered on wartime high-explosive tracer projectile construction and U.S. Hoffman Machinery Corporation's World War II production. Marist University Archives says Hoffman's Poughkeepsie plant converted to 40 mm anti-aircraft projectile production around June 1942 and shipped almost 15 million projectiles by August 1945.
Bofors 40 mm L/70, 40 mm towed anti-aircraft autocannon, Air DefenseAir DefenseBofors 40 mm L/7040 mm towed anti-aircraft autocannonThe Bofors 40 mm L/70 is a Swedish postwar anti-aircraft autocannon developed by AB Bofors as a higher-velocity, faster-firing successor to the wartime 40 mm L/60 family. Its towed and naval variants remained in service through upgrades, with source-backed modern use including Lithuanian-supplied guns in Ukrainian air defense and Indian upgraded L/70 guns used as a short-range counter-drone layer during the 2025 India-Pakistan Conflict.

Sources

Jane's Armoured Fighting Vehicle Retrofit Systems 1993-94Publisher: Jane's | Note: Supports the MPT designation, Bofors background, round role, and published performance figures including muzzle velocity and penetration. | Accessed: 2026-07-01European Infantry Fighting Vehicle ArmamentPublisher: European Security & Defence | Note: Supports the CV9040 carrying 24 ready-use 40 mm rounds, including Multi-purpose Tracer rounds, and the broader Bofors 40 mm ammunition context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Army Guide 40/70BaPublisher: Army Guide | Note: Supports Bofors 40/70Ba compatibility with MPT and other 40 mm ammunition types, the CV90 40/70Ba service context, and the 24-round three-compartment ammunition feed description. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Bofors 3P and System ConceptPublisher: Bofors Defence AB | Note: Supports broader 40 mm ammunition-family context, including 3P, APFSDS-T, TPDS-T, and TP-T members, plus L/70 and Bushmaster IV family context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File:40x364mmR.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the 40 x 365 mm R cartridge image used as the primary gallery image; the Commons file page credits Johan Fredriksson / Esquilo and lists CC BY-SA 3.0 reuse terms. | Accessed: 2026-07-01File:Bofors family.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance for the Bofors family gallery image used to show broader Swedish ammunition context; the Commons file page lists CC BY-SA 4.0 reuse terms. | Accessed: 2026-07-01