SARSILMAZ to Take KORALP Family Gun Turrets to the Next Level with BEST DEFENCE
In the Gun Turret Sector, which has an annual market size of $15 billion, SARSILMAZ aims to capture at least 5% of this market, roughly $750 million, over the next three years. In May 2024, SARSILMAZ announced the acquisition of BEST GROUP's Gun Turrets unit, renowned for its high engineering and integration capabilities in remote-controlled weapon systems (RCWS). Following this, SARSILMAZ founded BEST DEFENCE to fill a crucial gap in the defence industry by integrating high firepower weapon systems — 7.62 mm, 12.7 mm, 20 mm, 25 mm, and 30 mm — into remote-controlled gun turrets for both land and naval platforms. Foreseeing the future of the defence industry in "robotic weapon systems," SARSILMAZ had previously established LA2 Dynamics in 2022 to develop and manufacture legged robots, further advancing its strategy to become a defence industry-focused technology company. Earlier, in 2017, SARSILMAZ also added YAVAŞÇALAR to its portfolio, a company specializing in light weapon ammunition, hunting and sports cartridges, and emulsion-based explosives, thus effectively integrating ammunition with weapons and platforms.
The gun turrets of BEST DEFENCE were showcased for the first time along with SARSILMAZ's SAR 556 MT, SAR 762 MT, and SAR 127 MT weapons at the EFES 2024 Exercise.
On July 4, 2024, SARSILMAZ hosted a press conference at its Düzce production plant to unveil BEST DEFENCE, a newly founded company specializing in the production of next-generation, intelligent gun turrets, and the KORALP Remote Controlled Gun Turret Family, capable of accommodating weapon systems from 5.56 mm to 30 mm. Attended by about 65 journalists from Istanbul and Ankara, the presentation featured SARSILMAZ's own weapons—SAR 127 MT, SAR 762 MT-C, and SAR 556 MT—as well as the diverse array of KORAL remote-controlled gun turrets from BEST DEFENCE. Guests explored several BEST GROUP vehicles outfitted with these turrets, including the AŞKAR 1 and AŞKAR 2 SUV 4x4 Urban Intervention Vehicles, of which 50 currently feature the KORALP 7.62mm Remote Controlled Gun Turrets. The lineup also included armored SUVs (over 1,000 in service), Hidden Armored Pickup Trucks (50 active units), and an Unmanned Operations Robot equipped with a KORALP 7.62 RCWS. Attendees also had the opportunity to watch a live fire demonstration at the shooting range.
The SAR 556 MT Light Machine Gun, which uses NATO-standard 5.56 mm ammunition, is designed for both infantry use and continuous fire on mounted platforms. Developed in collaboration with the Defence Industry Agency, the SAR 762 MT provides a domestic alternative to platform-mounted machine guns that were previously sourced from abroad for armored vehicles. With the indigenization of the SAR 762 MT and SAR 127 MT, dependency on foreign suppliers has been eliminated. The SAR 127 MT, a product of Turkish engineering, uses 12.7x99 mm ammunition. The land variant of this heavy machine gun, which has completed qualification tests and features a quick-change barrel system, can be used on all armored ground vehicles and platforms. The 25 mm cannon, produced by TR Mekatronik, a joint venture between SARSILMAZ and Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ), is designed for remote-controlled gun turrets on both land and naval platforms. With this entirely domestic design cannon, we aim to minimize the Turkish armed forces' dependency on foreign suppliers for this caliber. Designed to fire NATO-standard 25x137 mm ammunition, the cannon employs a chain-driven mechanism, allowing it to fire 200 rounds per minute. The 25 mm cannon is anticipated to be operational and ready for delivery within six months. According to sources, a belt-fed ammunition system has been chosen for both the 25 mm and 30 mm cannons, replacing the rotary mechanism used in similar six-barrel guns.
We conducted a brief interview with Caner BUĞDAY, Board Member of BEST DEFENCE and General Manager of BEST GROUP, at the end of the event.
Defence Turkey: In Türkiye, several other companies are also involved in manufacturing gun turrets. What sets you apart from other companies in the sector?
Caner BUĞDAY: Most importantly, our artificial intelligence software. They are Indigenous and proprietary.
Defence Turkey: Özgür DEREBAŞI, Board Member of BEST DEFENCE, emphasized that the KORALP Gun Turret, equipped with artificial intelligence, can distinguish between drones, vehicles, and humans. However, isn't this distinction already straightforward? Drones operate in the air, while the other two are typically on the ground.
Caner BUĞDAY: No, it's not that simple. A person can also be in the air, for example, on the upper floor of a building or a staircase. Here, the important thing is the image processing capability. It can distinguish targets from the image. In other words, you identify a gentleman in a white shirt on the screen, and the system starts following him. It follows him wherever he goes. If the target disappears and reappears after a while, the system says there was such a target, and he has returned. Do you want to follow him again?
Defence Turkey: Is this warning audible to the operator/gunner?
Caner BUĞDAY: No, it's displayed on the screen. Another standout feature is its ability to support firing based on environmental conditions, adapting to factors such as temperature, terrain, and wind speed. It directs the weapon system and ensures stabilization.
Defence Turkey: Is the stabilization capability for firing on the move biaxial or triaxial?
Caner BUĞDAY: In the ground systems field, stabilization is typically biaxial due to their operation on land. However, it often becomes triaxial in maritime environments due to the added complexities of operating at sea.
Defence Turkey: So, you just mentioned it identifies the weapon. For instance, some turrets can carry dual weapons. Does the software used align with the specifications for both the 7.62mm and 12.7mm?
Caner BUĞDAY: Yes, it also distinguishes between different brands of weapons and vehicle types. You define and select all these parameters, and the system reconfigures itself based on your definitions and selections.
Defence Turkey: It was noted that the KORALP Gun Turret Family has been in circulation for approximately 7 years, which is quite a long time. Can we obtain information about who they were supplied to during this period?
Caner BUĞDAY: Throughout these 7 years, there have also been ongoing development processes. However, I cannot disclose specific country names due to confidentiality reasons.
Defence Turkey: So, do you also have customers outside of Türkiye?
Caner BUĞDAY: Yes, we do. We have many weapon systems currently in inventories of countries worldwide.
Defence Turkey: Can you specify the number of countries?
Caner BUĞDAY: Currently, we have projects in 8 countries.
Defence Turkey: So, is your company separate from SARSILMAZ? For instance, are you responsible for turret construction while SARSILMAZ handles weapon production?
Caner BUĞDAY: Yes, that's correct. BEST DEFENCE is a new company formed through the collaboration of two key entities: SARSILMAZ and BEST GROUP.
Defence Turkey: Does BEST GROUP continue as a separate company, or has it been incorporated into SARSILMAZ?
Caner BUĞDAY: It will continue to operate independently. BEST GROUP's primary focus is on vehicles, including the ones you see here, such as hidden armored and residential vehicles. These are designed and manufactured by us. As BEST GROUP, we will continue with these activities.
Defence Turkey: We've seen 12.7mm, 7.62mm, and 5.56mm guns on the turrets here. Are there any plans for 25mm and 30mm guns?
Caner BUĞDAY: The design for 25mm and 30mm is complete. We are very close to producing the physical model.
Defence Turkey: What is your approach here? Are you aiming to develop a completely indigenous product, or are you considering reverse engineering and indigenizing a weapon from a foreign company, as another Turkish company has done previously?
Caner BUĞDAY: No, it will be an indigenous design. All our systems are like this—completely indigenous.
Defence Turkey: Can you share a schedule?
Caner BUĞDAY: I cannot provide that information at the moment.
Defence Turkey: Understood; thank you for your time
