View source for 40 mm/70 MEL58 (40 mm)

[[File:Weapon 40 mm-70 MEL58 (40 mm).png|thumb|right|x250px|The 40 mm/70 MEL58 on the Lübeck.]]

{{DISPLAYTITLE:40 mm/70 MEL58 mounting}}
== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===
<!-- ''List out vehicles that are equipped with the weapon.'' -->

* {{Specs-Link|germ_type140_jaguar}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_frigate_koln}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_frigate_koln_lubeck}}

== General info ==
<!-- ''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.'' -->
The 40 mm/70 MEL58 is a fast-firing, clip-fed, high-velocity gun, capable of dealing with enemies within 2.6 km.

=== Available ammunition ===
<!-- ''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).'' -->
The MEL58 can only carry two types of shells: an AP-T and a HEFI-T (Proximity Fuse). The default belt is a mix of the two. The HE belt contains three HEFI-T rounds and one AP-T, while the opposite is true of the AP belt, consisting of three AP-T rounds and one HEFI-T.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
<!-- ''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.'' -->
The high rate of fire and good ammunition allows you to tackle small boats and larger ones it meets at its BR.

=== Pros and cons ===
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.'' -->

'''Pros:'''

* Very fast firing 40 mm guns
* Access to proximity-fused high explosive shells

'''Cons:'''

* Overheats quickly

== History ==
<!-- ''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.'' -->
The 40 mm/70 MEL58 is a German variant of the Bofors L/70. An improvement over the older [[Bofors L/60 (40 mm)|Bofors L/60]] for the jet age, the Bofors L/70 fired a larger cartridge at a higher muzzle velocity and rate of fire along with all of the guns being air-cooled when certain L/60 variants were water-cooled. The MEL58 first entered West German service in 1958 as the name suggests. The Bundesmarine (Federal Navy, later known as the Deutsche Marine), had been formed just two years earlier due to international tensions from the Cold War and would use the MEL58 (a Bofors L/70 with a modernized SAK mount) first on their [[USS Fletcher|''Fletcher''-class]] destroyers received from the United States. The MEL58 would later be used on their E-boat followed up, the ''[[Jaguar-Klasse]]'', the ''Köln''-class frigates such as the ''[[Köln F220|Köln]]'' and ''[[Lübeck F224|Lübeck]]'', and the ''Ensdorf'', ''Kulmbach'', and ''Frankenthal''-class minesweepers. The Deutsche Marine and Luftwaffe (German Air Force) also used the L/70 with D21 radar in the anti-aircraft role though it has been mostly replaced by [[Roland|Roland Surface-to-Air Missiles]] after the late 1980s and the domestic Rheinmetall MLG-27 is beginning to phase out the L/70 on their minesweeper fleet. Despite gradually leaving German service, the venerable design of the Bofors L/70 means it still remains in service in production and service in multiple other nations.

== Media ==
<!--''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''-->

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="x250px">
File:Weapon 40 mm-70 MEL58 (40 mm) breech.png|<small>The 40 mm/70 MEL58 breech on the Lübeck.</small>
</gallery>

== See also ==
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.'' -->

* [[Bofors (40 mm) (Family)]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany naval cannons}}

[[Category:Naval cannons]]