Acceleratıng Its Investments In Robotıc Weapon Systems, Sarsılmaz Integrates High Firepower Weapon Systems Into Gun Turrets
Sarsılmaz, envisioning the future of the defense industry in robotic weapon systems, established LA2 Dynamics in 2022 to develop and produce legged robots. This initiative is a critical part of its strategy to transform into a “defense industry-focused technology company.” By acquiring the weapon turrets division of Best Group, which is known for its high engineering and integration capabilities in Remote-Controlled Weapon Systems (RCWS), Sarsılmaz has founded a new company under the name Best Defence. This new venture will integrate weapon systems with high firepower—5.56, 7.62, 12.7, 20, 25, and 30 mm—into remote-controlled gun turrets, effectively addressing a significant gap in the defense industry.
The Koralp RCWS, which will be integrated into the land and naval elements of Best Defence's inventory, will continue to be produced with Sarsılmaz's SAR 127 MT, SAR 762 MT, SAR 556 MT, 20 mm, 25 mm, and 30 mm weapons. This turret is designed to be compatible with globally recognized calibers in the defense industry. The Koralp RCWS features a laser rangefinder, daylight camera, thermal imaging camera, remaining ammunition counter, last round alert, ballistic protection, and manual operation in emergencies. Additionally, it offers advantages such as automatic target recognition, automatic target tracking, touch screens, high precision, compatibility with various weapons, high stabilization, and lightweight design. The Koralp RCWS family stands out among its global counterparts due to its domestically developed artificial intelligence capabilities for target detection and learning. Moreover, its unique design minimizes recoil even in large-caliber weapons, maximizing firing accuracy.
Latif Aral ALİŞ: “The Defense Industry Has the Potential to Achieve Higher Export Figures Than the Automotive Industry”
At a press conference held at Sarsılmaz's factory in Düzce, where Best Defence gun turrets were introduced, Sarsılmaz Chairman of the Board Latif Aral ALİŞ highlighted that the defense industry has the potential to surpass the automotive sector and become "Türkiye's leading export industry" in the near future. ALİŞ continued his remarks as follows:
“As you know, our sector achieved a 26 percent increase in defense industry exports last year. Since June 2023, exports have surged by 70 percent. If we maintain this growth momentum, the defense industry will soon become one of Türkiye's largest export sectors. Sarsılmaz has been producing weapons for five generations since 1880 and is one of the most established companies in our country's defense industry. However, especially in the last 20 years, we have been positioning ourselves as a “technology company” in addition to our weapons production. We have successfully produced defense industry products domestically that were previously mostly imported, and we have earned a reputable place in the world with our export products. Over the past year, Sarsılmaz has achieved a 70 percent increase in defense industry exports. With our recent investments, we have become competitive with the world's largest companies in both the fundamental elements of the defense industry—such as weapons, ammunition, explosives, and robots—and the complementary elements. We are present in every segment of the defense industry sector. Finally, we have added Best Defence, one of the most reputable companies in our country in the field of remote-controlled technological turrets, to the Sarsılmaz family. Best Defence has proven itself both in Türkiye and abroad with its success in defense industry technologies. With this step, we have further enhanced our country's strength and ambition in defense industry technologies.”
DEREBAŞI: “Users Will Achieve Sniper-Level Accuracy After Just 15 minutes of Training”
Özgür DEREBAŞI, Board Member of Best Defence, stated that they will continue developing the gun turrets currently in Best Defence's inventory under the roof of Sarsılmaz in the coming period. “I'm proud to say that the Koralp RCWS incorporates highly advanced technologies with features unmatched anywhere else in the world today. It stands out as perhaps the only system worlwide actively using artificial intelligence. The gun turret sector boasts an annual market size of approximately $15 billion. Over the next three years, our goal is to capture at least five percent of this market. With our capabilities, we're well-positioned to fulfill the gun turret needs of friendly and allied countries, particularly our own, offering solutions from 5.56 mm to 30 mm. After our collaboration with Sarsılmaz, we believe that by advancing our technology—particularly through the more active use of artificial intelligence—our user-friendly gun turrets will soon become a preferred choice in the field. The Koralp RCWS family has been a part of our inventory for approximately seven years. Thanks to artificial intelligence, our system is capable of distinguishing between humans, drones, and vehicles, enabling precise target identification without user intervention. Additionally, the touchscreen interface allows users to quickly master the system with just 15 minutes of training, achieving near sniper-level shooting accuracy.”
ÖZYILMAZ: “We Will Continue to Invest in Unmanned Systems”
Öner ÖZYILMAZ, Deputy General Manager of Sarsılmaz, remarked: "At the IDEF fair 1.5 years ago, we first announced our venture into unmanned systems. Today, we are proud to have taken the first concrete step in this field. Possessing this technology positions us among a select group of global manufacturers. By integrating this capability with the ammunition in our gun turrets, we are effectively combining the ammunition, weapons, and remote-controlled systems our nation's defense industry requires. Sarsilmaz is committed to advancing this vision in the upcoming period. Hopefully, we will soon launch new products in ammunition, platforms, and weapons together ”
