Naval Systems

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano

Also known as
  • 127/64 LW - VULCANO System
  • OTO 127/64 LW
  • OTO 127/64 LightWeight Vulcano
  • OTO 127/64 LW - VULCANO
  • Oto Melara 127/64 LW
  • Otobreda 127/64
  • 127mm Alleggerito
  • 127mm Allegerito
  • 127mm Lightweight turret
  • 127/64 LW

The OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano is Leonardo's Italian 127 mm lightweight naval gun system for large and medium warships, combining a 64-caliber gun mount, automated ammunition handling, combat-management integration, and compatibility with standard 127 mm ammunition as well as Vulcano extended-range rounds.

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano, 127 mm lightweight naval gun system, Naval Systems
Image source: Wikimedia Commons: Francesco Morosini 127/64 LW Left Front
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
Italy
Type
127 mm lightweight naval gun system
Service note
2012-present
Designer
OTO Melara
Designed
Mid-2000s 127/64 LW development
Produced
2012-present 127/64 LW service and supply period

Specifications

Caliber
127 mm / 5 inch, 64-caliber naval gun
Primary role
Surface fire and naval gunfire support, with anti-aircraft fire as a secondary role
Rate of fire
32 rounds per minute +/- 10%, depending on elevation
Dry weight
33,000 kg +/- 5%, configuration dependent and without ammunition
Ready-to-fire rounds
56 rounds in four 14-round drums
Ammunition compatibility
Standard 127 mm / 5 inch ammunition and the OTO Vulcano ammunition family
Vulcano range
More than 100 km with Vulcano ammunition
Elevation arc
-12 degrees to +70 degrees
Training arc
+/-55 degrees with slip ring
Training speed
40 degrees per second maximum
Elevation speed
30 degrees per second maximum
Combat-system integration
Digital and analog interfaces with ballistic calculation support for ship combat-management integration
Cooling
Sea-water cooling with fresh water flushing
System Architecture

The 127/64 LW Vulcano is documented as a system rather than only a gun barrel. Leonardo describes four connected elements: the gun assembly, automated ammunition handling, naval fire-control support, and the Vulcano ammunition family.

Gun mount

A 127 mm / 5 inch, 64-caliber lightweight naval gun for surface fire, naval gunfire support, and secondary anti-aircraft use.

Ammunition feed

Four modular drums hold 56 ready-to-fire rounds and can be reloaded during firing.

Fire-control support

Digital and analog interfaces plus ballistic calculation support integration with a ship combat-management system.

Ammunition family

The system fires standard 127 mm ammunition and Leonardo's 127 mm Vulcano BER and GLR ammunition.

Several sourced platform selections do not yet map to public catalog platform pages. The Italian FREMM/PPA, Dutch LCF, and Spanish F-110 lanes were checked but left unlinked; Canada's River-class record was also left unlinked because current Royal Canadian Navy data lists a BAE 127 mm main gun.

Variants

The Alleggerito name belongs to OTO Melara's lightweight 127 mm naval-gun family. This record focuses on the current 127/64 LW Vulcano system rather than the older 127/54 Compact gun.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
127/54 LW AlleggeritoEarlier lightweight 54-caliber turret

Specialist references treat 127/54 LW as the earlier Alleggerito lightweight turret; Leonardo separately describes Vulcano-kit work for ships using the previous 127/54 C naval gun.

Sources: WeaponSystems.net: 127mm Alleggerito, Leonardo: Italian Navy Tests OTO Melara's Vulcano Kit

127/64 LW VulcanoCurrent 64-caliber Vulcano-compatible system

Leonardo's current product material presents the 127/64 LW - Vulcano System as a four-part package built around the gun assembly, automated ammunition handling, naval fire-control support, and Vulcano ammunition.

Sources: Leonardo: OTO 127/64 LW Product Page, Leonardo: OTO 127/64 LW Datasheet

Documented Ship Classes

The catalog has one public platform record that direct official sources connect to the OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano family.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
Baden-Württemberg / F125 frigate, Stabilization frigate class, Naval SystemsBaden-Württemberg / F125 frigateGerman frigate class

Bundeswehr identifies the F125 class with a 127 mm Lightweight LCG able to fire standard and range-extended precision-guided Vulcano ammunition; Leonardo separately says Baden-Wuerttemberg-class frigates are equipped with the Vulcano-ammunition-firing OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano system.

Sources: Bundeswehr: F125 Baden-Wuerttemberg Class, Leonardo: Damen Selects OTO 127/64 LW for F126

Timeline

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano Key Events

  1. 127/64 LW enters shipboard firing context

    NavWeaps records 2012 as the in-service year for the 127 mm/64 LW and notes the Carlo Bergamini firing event off La Spezia as the first warship firing of the 127/64 Lightweight Gun System.

    Sources: NavWeaps: Italy 127 mm/64 LW

  2. Vulcano kit trial reported

    Leonardo reported Italian Navy trials with 127 Vulcano BER ammunition and distinguished navies using the newer 127/64 LW weapon system from ships using the previous 127/54 C gun with a V-kit upgrade.

    Sources: Leonardo: Italian Navy Tests OTO Melara's Vulcano Kit

  3. Canadian Surface Combatant contract announced

    Leonardo announced a contract to supply four OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano naval guns for Canada's new surface combatants, with three systems for ships and one for training.

    Sources: Leonardo: Canadian Surface Combatants Contract

  4. F126 selection announced

    Leonardo said Damen selected OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano systems for Germany's new F126 frigates and noted that Baden-Wuerttemberg-class frigates were already equipped with the system.

    Sources: Leonardo: Damen Selects OTO 127/64 LW for F126

  5. Canada's current River-class fit lists BAE gun

    The Royal Canadian Navy's current River-class destroyer fact sheet lists a BAE 127 mm main gun, so the catalog does not treat the River class as a current OTO 127/64 LW firing platform despite the 2021 Leonardo contract announcement.

    Sources: Royal Canadian Navy: River-Class Destroyer Fact Sheet

Media

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano Videos

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano Images

OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano, 127 mm lightweight naval gun system, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons: Francesco Morosini 127/64 LW Right Side
OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano, 127 mm lightweight naval gun system, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: Wikimedia Commons: Baden-Wuerttemberg Fires 127/64 LW During RIMPAC 2024
OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano, 127 mm lightweight naval gun system, Naval Systems - view 3
Source: Wikimedia Commons: Francesco Morosini 127/64 LW Left Front
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Sources

Leonardo: OTO 127/64 LW Product PagePublisher: Leonardo Electronics | Note: Supports official product naming and the four-part system composition. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Leonardo: OTO 127/64 LW DatasheetPublisher: Leonardo Electronics | Note: Supports technical specifications, ready-round count, feed system, ammunition compatibility, range, and combat-management integration. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Leonardo: Italian Navy Tests OTO Melara's Vulcano KitPublisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports Vulcano BER trial context and the distinction between the newer 127/64 LW weapon system and earlier 127/54 C guns with a V-kit upgrade. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Leonardo: Canadian Surface Combatants ContractPublisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports Leonardo supplier wording, OTO 127/64 LightWeight Vulcano designation, Canadian Surface Combatant selection, and architecture notes including AAHS and Vulcano ammunition integration. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Leonardo: Damen Selects OTO 127/64 LW for F126Publisher: Leonardo | Note: Supports the F126 selection, the German Baden-Wuerttemberg-class equipment context, and the gun's ability to use standard 127 mm plus Vulcano GLR and BER ammunition. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Bundeswehr: F125 Baden-Wuerttemberg ClassPublisher: Bundeswehr | Note: Supports the F125 class 127 mm Lightweight LCG, its standard and Vulcano precision ammunition compatibility, and the gun's naval fire-support role. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Royal Canadian Navy: River-Class Destroyer Fact SheetPublisher: Royal Canadian Navy | Note: Supports the current River-class destroyer bow-weapons listing with a BAE 127 mm main gun, so the class is not linked as a current OTO 127/64 LW platform. | Accessed: 2026-07-06NavWeaps: Italy 127 mm/64 LWPublisher: NavWeaps | Note: Supports specialist background on the 127 mm/64 LW designation, 2012 in-service context, Carlo Bergamini firing event, ready-use ammunition count, and 127/54 LW lineage. | Accessed: 2026-07-06WeaponSystems.net: 127mm AlleggeritoPublisher: WeaponSystems.net | Note: Supports the Alleggerito and Allegerito search spellings, the 127/54 LW and 127/64 LW designation framing, Italian origin, and secondary lightweight-turret context. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Wikimedia Commons: Francesco Morosini 127/64 LW Left FrontPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports primary image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing for a 127/64 LW Vulcano gun on Italian patrol vessel Francesco Morosini. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Wikimedia Commons: Leonardo OTO 127 64 LWPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing for a Leonardo OTO 127/64 LW Vulcano system on Italian frigate Carlo Bergamini. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Wikimedia Commons: Francesco Morosini 127/64 LW Right SidePublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and CC BY-SA 4.0 licensing for a right-side view of a 127/64 LW Vulcano gun on Italian patrol vessel Francesco Morosini. | Accessed: 2026-07-06Wikimedia Commons: Baden-Wuerttemberg Fires 127/64 LW During RIMPAC 2024Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance for public-domain U.S. Navy exercise imagery of FGS Baden-Wuerttemberg firing the 127/64 LW during RIMPAC 2024; not used as conflict-use evidence. | Accessed: 2026-07-06