Turkish arms manufacturer set for role in British military with new weapons system

By Aysu Bicer and Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Turkish arms manufacturer CANiK is gearing up to take on a role in the British military with its new 30-millimeter weapons system.

The company's 30-millimeter weapons system and turret were showcased on the unmanned wheeled carrier vehicle by HIPPO Multipower at the International Defense and Security Equipment Exhibition (DSEI 2023) held in London.

Utku Aral, CANiK's CEO, highlighted the significance of the event, which marked its debut in the UK since acquiring British defense company AEI Systems earlier this year.

CANiK's acquisition of AEI Systems, one of the three medium-caliber artillery manufacturers in the world, has paved the way for the production of medium-caliber guns in high quantities in both the UK and Türkiye.

These guns will be offered for land, air and sea platforms of friendly and allied countries, with a primary focus on Türkiye and the UK, in the realm of remote-controlled weapon systems.

Aral emphasized the growing importance of 30mm caliber gun systems on a global scale, citing their low recoil and versatility in firing various types of ammunition.

He noted that their light weight, low recoil and ability to fire high-explosive ammunition are critical features for their integration into unmanned ground vehicles.

"We saw the best example of these in HAVELSAN's Kapgan project. HAVELSAN also features our 30mm turret and gun on its unmanned ground vehicle," he noted.

Turkish defense firm HAVELSAN's Kapgan project is an autonomous heavy-class unmanned ground vehicle designed to accompany troops on various missions with its high maneuverability, especially in harsh environmental conditions.

Mentioning the unmanned ground vehicle platforms manufacturer, HIPPO, which uses CANiK's turret and gun system, Aral said these have been tested successfully, including by British Special Forces.

"Trials of this weapon have been conducted for the British Special Forces, and it has proven to be highly effective. They are making presentations on how to integrate this system into their inventory. This is very important for us," he said.

"They conducted trials of this powerful weapon in infantry positions, walking alongside infantrymen unmanned. It proved to be highly effective, particularly when needed to counter asymmetric attacks by targeting drones with airburst ammunition or engaging light armored targets with high-explosive ammunition," he explained.

He said British Special Forces are also present at the HIPPO booth as they are explaining the platform, the weapon, and how they conducted the trials to visitors.

"They are making presentations on how to integrate this system into the inventory. This is very significant for us because we understood the criticality of this weapon, which is why we acquired AEI Systems," he underlined.

"Today, our turret and our weapons are exhibited not only on HIPPO, but also on many unmanned ground vehicles and even manned 4x4 armored personnel carriers," he said.

- $350M sales target

Aral emphasized that CANiK's advanced remote-controlled firing control system's capability to interface with medium-caliber cannons creates a solution-oriented field for all types of platforms.

He noted that very few countries worldwide produce medium-caliber weapons and Türkiye's strength in ammunition production thanks to the capabilities of Turkish defense giants such as Makina Kimya and Aselsan has positioned it as a key player in this field.

"There's nothing that can't be achieved in terms of ammunition, but weapons and turrets were critical. When the companies under the Samsun Yurt Savunma group, such as CANiK, AEI Systems, and Unirobotics come together, they have complementary features within the ecosystem. Today, all these systems are essential for ATAK-2, the national combat aircraft, and manned/unmanned naval vehicles. This has expanded our horizons," he explained.

He also said the company has enhanced its product portfolio.

"Sales to European countries, which were previously just a dream, are now possible. We have become one of the companies in the world with this capability. We are a company that exports 95% of its production," he noted.

"Our goal is to reach a $350 million sales target. We have already achieved more than half of this. Hopefully, in a few years, we will have reached the target we aimed for," he added.

With ambitious goals ahead, Aral believes CANiK is well on its way to achieving its objectives.