Bofors initially saw too little market to justify developing a gun for a small navy, until Swedish naval and army backing sustained the project. The precise research start is disputed because different documents give different dates in the late 1920s. The design was finished in late summer 1930 and passed Swedish naval acceptance trials in March 1932. Continued refinement produced the L60 Model 1934, alongside an L43 Model 1932 intended for submarines. These early models initially attracted limited foreign interest. The L60 Model 1936 offered substantially better barrel life and became the design selected for British and American projects. British interest also followed examination of Dutch versions.
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The Swedish requirement that produced the Bofors L60
Sweden sought a 40 mm weapon tailored to a smaller navy, leading through trials and refinement to the L60 family selected abroad.