BAE Systems Unveils Sea Tridon 40-mm Naval Guns Designed to Install Like a Shipping Container

BAE Systems Sea Tridon naval gun system, Digi Mart USA News: BAE Systems has shown its Sea Tridon family of 40-mm naval guns at the Euronaval 2026 exhibition in Paris. The systems are designed to be installed as easily as a shipping container, a feature the company presents as a response to piracy and a changing maritime threat environment.

The Sea Tridon is based on the Bofors 40 mm L/70 medium-caliber, rapid-fire cannon introduced in the 1930s. According to the published report, the modern version incorporates newer materials, pre-fragmented, programmable, proximity-fused ammunition and digital command and control interfaces.

The guns were originally designed for sea duty, were adapted for land use in 2023 to counter drones and loitering munitions, and are now returning to sea as the Sea Tridon family.

According to BAE Systems, the family consists of four configurations. The basic Bofors 40 Mk 4 Naval Gun is a lightweight, fully automated cannon that can be integrated directly into a warship’s central combat systems.

The Sea Tridon adds an integrated electro-optical fire-control system, allowing it to be mounted on ships without their own command system. Sea Trinity is described as a stand-alone Close-In Weapon System with programmable ammunition and its own radar, so the captain effectively only has to give the order to fire.

The most distinctive variant, Sea Tridon C, is an automated gun turret mounted on a small shipping container. The publisher reports that it could be installed quickly on auxiliary vessels, patrol ships and merchant ships.

The article notes that under current law it is extremely difficult to arm private ships against pirates or state actors, but such systems could, in times of high threat, be installed aboard merchant ships carrying naval or coast guard personnel to crew the guns.

Lena Gillström, President of BAE Systems Bofors, said: “The maritime threat landscape is evolving rapidly, creating a growing need for flexible and effective protection solutions.” She added that navies and maritime operators can select the capability level that best meets their needs while benefiting from a common platform, proven technology and advanced programmable ammunition.