Samsun Yurt Savunma (SYS) and CANiK completed the acquisition process of London/Ascot-based AEI Systems in December 2022 with the approval of the United Kingdom.
As a result of this acquisition, CANiK’s production capacity and AEI Systems’ 60 years of knowledge in medium calibre weapons are united. The serial cannon production will reach high numbers in both the UK and Turkiye and be put into the service of land, air and naval platforms. Turkiye and the United Kingdom will be the primary beneficiaries of remote-controlled weapon systems.
A special reception was held for the acquisition of AEI Systems, hosted by the British Consulate General. In his speech at the opening of the reception, Consul General Istanbul and Trade Commissioner Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network (EECAN) Kenan Poleo said, “I congratulate Samsun Yurt Savunma (SYS) and CANiK for their investment in British AEI Systems. I am confident that this partnership will bring many opportunities to CANiK and AEI Systems in new and existing markets, and I wish both companies long-lasting success and friendship. I know that the UK and Turkiye are open to opportunities to do more together, support each other and benefit both countries.”
CANiK General Manager C. Utku Aral said, “With the completion of the acquisition, AEI Systems has taken its place among our company affiliates. AEI Systems will continue to be a brand of medium-calibre weapons. Development, production and assembly activities will increasingly continue at AEI Systems’ facilities in the UK. Production activities will be carried out within AEI Systems and the ecosystem in the UK, especially to the extent that the ‘Made in UK’ term is used. At the end of five years, we aim to increase the sales turnover of medium calibre cannons to over $100 million annually. UNIROBOTICS, one of our subsidiaries, will also support the AEI Systems operation. UNIROBOTICS offers high-tech, innovative weapon turret integration solutions for medium-calibre guns. The first fruit of these solutions is UNIROBOTICS’ TRAKON 30 turret equipped with a 30x113 mm gun. The 30x113mm gun can fire various ammunition and has low recoil. It can be integrated into all platforms, including 4x4 land vehicles and small boats, with either remote-controlled or operator-controlled ones. Although the use of 30x113mm cannons in land and sea vehicles has increased gradually in recent years, these weapons have long been the main weapon of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft and are becoming a vital power multiplier, especially with their ability to fire high explosive ammunition.
C. Utku Aral listed where the 30x113 mm cannon is used and might be used in future; “The TRAKON 30 turret was integrated into the EJDER YALÇIN vehicle of Nurol Makina in 4x4 tactical vehicles. Integrating the TRAKON 30 tower with HAVELSAN’s KAPGAN vehicle in unmanned ground vehicles is among the ongoing projects. In addition, it can be easily integrated on all 6x6 and 8x8 tactical wheeled armoured vehicles. In the new generation tank concept, the first examples of which were seen with the ABRAHAM-X in the United States and the E-MBT in Europe in main battle tanks, the 30x113 mm gun was preferred as the close-range protection weapon of the tank instead of the 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The Airbus production Tiger and Boeing production Apache attack helicopters are currently the 4/4+ new generation French Dassault production that also uses such systems.
30x113 mm guns are actively used in warplanes. As in aircraft, concept studies have started integrating 30x113mm weapon systems with manned and unmanned surface platform manufacturers. Integration negotiations have also begun for TUSAS’s heavy class Attack Helicopter ATAK 2 and Baykar’s Kızılelma Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.”
Stating that they will achieve new momentum in the export field with AEI Systems, C. Utku Aral said: “We think that the 30x113 mm gun is a critical product for Turkiye and the United Kingdom. After integrating the Canon and UNIROBOTICS’ TRAKON 30 tower, we will start cooperation in this field with all the major platform manufacturers we are currently working with. With the acquisition of AEI Systems, we have realised all of our investment plans covering the next five years. From now on, we will invest in developing and producing products, not buying companies.”
