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MEDIUM CALIBER TURRETS
Turrets on
a Leash
The Kongsberg remotely controlled
turret reflects the company philosophy
that considers mandatory to protect
a medium calibre gun from all
threats, including weather and sand.
(Kongsberg)
While small calibre remotely controlled weapon stations (RCWS) have become
a must to ensure self-defence firepower to most armoured vehicles (from
protected trucks to main battle tanks), medium calibres and their longer
range are required by patrols to enable them to engage the enemy before his
weapon systems.
Paolo Valpolini
D
rawing on experience garnered
with the Samson 30 Mk1,
Rafael of Israel developed
the Samson 30 Mk2 where
the ATK Mk44 30 mm gun is sheltered
by an armoured case providing Level 1
protection, which can be increased to
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Level 4 with add-on armour kits. The
turret maintains a very low silhouette
making it a difficult target. With an
elevation arc of –20°/+60°, the Mk44 has
a dual-feed system, with each of the two
ammunition magazines containing 100
rounds. The crew protection can reload
and carry out maintenance from inside (a
hatch isolates the turret from the vehicle).
A 7.62 mm machine gun or a 40 mm
automatic grenade launcher are mounted
to the right of the main gun. Commander
and gunner each have their own dualaxis gyro-stabilised sighting system.
The gunner’s is boresighted to the gun
while the commander’s is a retractable
panoramic sight, providing a hunter-killer
capability. To improve crew situational
awareness a hatch in the turret roof allows
the commander to have a direct view of
the outside world. The Samson 30 Mk2
can be equipped with two Rafael Spike
LR antitank missiles launchers, while the
main weapon can be replaced with other
30 to 40 mm calibre guns of Western or
Eastern origin. Rafael proposes its new
turret in four different configurations,
and depending on the type of equipment
installed and on protection level the
Mark2 weight varies between 1400 and
2400 kg.
Another Israeli company, Elbit Systems,
is also active in the medium calibre
turret field with its UT25 and UT30. In
September 2012 Elbit Systems received
an initial production order for the supply
of UT30 BR 30mm Unmanned Turrets
to the Brazilian Army. Valued at $15
million those turrets will be installed
onboard Iveco 6x6 “Guarani” APCs as
part of a contract valued at approximately
$260 million announced in January 2011.
The number of turrets involved was not
announced, but a first batch should be
delivered within two years.
KMW of German unveiled a derivative
of its FLW200 RCWS known as FLW200+.
The new system can host not only light
weapons, but also a 20 mm cannon,
namely the Rheinmetall Rh202 DM6A1.
The FW200+ weighs approximately 400
kg including the gun and one hundred
20x139 mm rounds, the Rh202 having
a dual feed capability. Stabilised on two
axis, it has an elevation arc of –10°/+50°
and defined fire/no fire zones can be
established by the crew. The optronic
suite is hosted in a box on the right
side of the mount and includes a CCD
colour zoom camera, a laser rangefinder
and a thermal imager; considering the
longer ranges involved the TI system
adopted is of the cooled type. Leveraging
the family concept KMW maintained
numerous components in common with
the FLW100/200 RCWS, such as the
control system and the display, as well
as mechanical interfaces. The FLW200+
A key feature of the Samson 30 Mk2
produced by Rafael of Israel is that the
commander can improve its situational
awareness thanks to a hatch that allows
him to have a direct view. (Rafael)
is designed to accept a further weapon
system on the top; this can come in the
form of either a missile launcher or a
light machine gun, though self-defence
grenade launchers can also be fitted.
In Belgium Cockerill Maintenance &
Ingénierie (CMI) proved its flexibility
in the medium calibre field with the
remotely controlled weapon station –
a derivative of the CPWS (Cockerill
Protected Weapon Station) 20-25-30 –
integrated on board the Panhard Crab 4x4
unveiled at Eurosatory 2012. The CPWS
protects the gun both from the ballistic
threat and from the weather, but allows
the crew to reload the gun from under
armour. The gun is fully stabilised and
has an elevation arc of –10°/+45°, a dual
mode day/night stabilised sighting system
with laser range finder, while a panoramic
sight able to reach a +60°elevation can be
easily integrated thanks to the CAN Bus
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MEDIUM CALIBER TURRETS
architecture. The ammunition rack can
store up to 150 rounds of two types if the
gun features a dual-feed system. The CPWS
can be equipped with a hatch to allow the
commander to have a direct view of the
surroundings, a clear requirement from
the French Army that was incorporated
into the Crab turret. With the standard
Level 1 protection the CPWS has a weight
of 750-800 kg depending on the weapon,
which may considerably increase should
the customer chose a Level 4 protection
level.
Cockerill is also offering a range
of modular medium calibre two-man
turrets that can host guns from 25 to 40
mm, with some growth potential up to 50
mm. Fully stabilised, with hunter-killer
capability if a commander’s panoramic
sight is installed, they exploit the
company common electronic architecture.
Standard elevation arc is –20°/+60°
although with ATK guns a maximum
elevation of +75° can be reached. While
standard protection is at Level 1, this can
be increased up to Level 5 with add-on
Elbit Systems of Israel produces the
UT25 and UT30 uninhabited turrets; the
latter one has recently scored a major
success in Brazil. (Elbit Systems)
armour kits. A turret with a CTAI cased
telescoped 40 mm gun was exhibited in
2010 on the Panhard Sphynx mock-up,
the Sphynx being aimed at the French
Army EBRC programme.
Two more turrets are eyeing the EBRC
programme. Nexter introduced a new
turret armed with the CTAI 40 mm gun at
Eurosatory 2012. The French Army wants
a two-man turret, but Nexter developed a
fully modular system around a digital core,
that allows it to be easily transformed into
a remotely controlled system. A 360° day/
night vision system provides maximum
situational awareness to the crew, while
episcopes ensure a direct view capability.
An FN Arrows RCWS is mounted on top
to provide self-protection fire. The main
gun has an elevation arc of –15°/+60°
while a 62-rounds carousel magazine
allows to instantly select the required
ammunition. On both sides of the turret a
launcher for the MBDA MMP is installed.
The missile container will be armoured at
The most recent development by KMW
in terms of turrets is the FL200+, a
beefed up version of the FL200 that can
host a 20 mm cannon. (KMW)
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A derivative of the Cockerill Protected
Weapon Station (CPWS) produced by
Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie
of Belgium has been installed on the
Panhard Crab prototype here seen at the
2012 Eurosatory exhibition. (Armada/
Paolo Valpolini)
Level 3, the basic protection for the turret
being Level 2, which can be increased
using add-on armour. In the current
configuration the turret weighs 4.2 tonnes,
but its structure can accept a maximum
weight of seven tonnes. Being fully digital
the Nexter 40 CTA turret will be capable
of accepting auxiliary systems in a plugand-play mode. Currently, only the twomen version with full optional conversion
has been build. As for the ARX20 remote
controlled weapon station unveiled two
years ago this is also a fully modular system,
the top model including a secondary 7.62
mm weapon, a sophisticated optronic and
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Cockerill also offers a two-seat turret
family armed with guns ranging from
25 to 40 mm. Here features is a CTAI
40 mm and installed on the Panhard
Sphynx prototype. (Armada/Paolo
Valpolini)
an auto-tracking capacity. A number of
options are currently being considered for
this turret and new versions might soon
be available.
At Eurosatory 2012 Panhard exhibited
its Sphynx with a Lockheed Martin UK
turret. The latter company leverages
experience garnered with the Warrior
CSP and the Scout SV programmes and
proposes itself as a system integrator
capable to provide a “turret on demand”
rather than a turret producer with a
defined turret portfolio. The Sphynx turret
prototype structure has been designed
by the company, and in spite of being a
much smaller turret than the Scout SV’s it
adopts many its features. The experience
acquired with the integration of the
CTI 40 mm gun, which has no breech
protruding in the turret compartment and
is therefore a highly unbalanced gun, has
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been exploited, a mechanical balancing
system being adopted while electrical
power is used only for minor adjustments.
Ammunition handling is also a derivative
of the Scout SV’s, the main gun having
70 rounds while the co-axial MG has 800.
The man-machine interface as well as the
fire control system also owe a lot to the
British programme. But what allows to
maintain such a degree of commonalities
while ensuring an easy integration of
GFE or customer-chosen components is
the electronic architecture developed by
Lockheed Martin, the company having
worked hard on the UK DEF STAN
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MEDIUM CALIBER TURRETS
Following the development of a 20
mm remotely controlled turret Nexter
unveiled, in 2012, its 40 mm offer for
the French Army EBRC programme
armed with the CTAI 40 mm gun.
(Armada/Paolo Valpolini)
Vehicle Architecture to be adopted for
future British vehicles. The Sphynx twoseat turret has a weight of around 3.5
tonnes unprotected, Level 4 protection
increasing this to approximately 4.5
tonnes including the dual external guided
missile launchers. Lockheed Martin is
ready to carry on a similar operation for
other vehicle programmes and provide
tailored solutions and integrated services.
Rheinmetall’s Lance modular turret
structure was chosen as the base of the
Lockheed Martin turret adopted for
British SV programme. The turret chassis
is not identical to that of the Lance and
this allowed Rheinmetall to acquire
further experience in customisation. As
for the Lance turret per se, and following
the delivery of the first two installed on
Piranha IIIs acquired by the Spanish
Tercio de Armada, two other units
should be delivered by the end of this
year. A Lance turret was integrated on
a Piranha 5 taking part in the Canadian
Close Combat Vehicle testing phase. The
Lance evolution draws on the Puma
German IFV programme, some weapon
functionalities as well as the Air Burst
Munition (ABM) qualification taking
place under that umbrella. Rheinmetall
integrated and optimised the Lance on
the Boxer 8x8 vehicle, that version having
also been test-fired. During the turret
development phase Rheinmetall's turret
competence centre in Gersthofen built a
test rig for troubleshooting purposes; this
has now evolved in a simulation system
that can be offered together with actual
turrets to any potential customer. The
Lance turret vetronics open architecture
allows to integrate two different optronic
systems, one dedicated to the commander,
situational awareness systems, sniper
locating systems, IFF etc. Its protection
can be raised up to Level 4, while its 30
mm Rheinmetall gun can be fitted with
the aforementioned ABM capability.
Rheinmetall is intensifying its contacts
with 8x8 chassis producers as well as with
those countries that are looking at an 8x8
AIFV solution.
Drawing on the Hitfist family of
medium calibre turrets experience, Oto
Melara developed a remotely controlled
version known as the Hitfist OWS to
suit lighter vehicles, down to 10 tonnes,
a feature that is attracting considerable
interest from amphibious vehicle
producers. The second prototype, shown
at Eurosatory 2012, was very close to the
production configuration. The turret is
optimised to accommodate ATK 25 and
30 mm cannons and the evolution of such
weapons that gives them an air-burst
capability adds to the growth potential
of the Oto Melara turret. The turret
hosts a fully digital gyro-stabilized ATK
MK44 30 mm cannon, a 7.62 mm coaxial
machine gun, and a twin missile launcher
Lockheed Martin UK has become
a turret integrator following the
experience acquired with the Warrior
CSP and the Scout SV programmes. The
turret is here seen mounted on the
Panhard Sphynx at Eurosatory 2012.
(Armada/Paolo Valpolini)
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The Lance turret developed by
Rheinmetall is proposed in inhabited
and uninhabited versions and has been
integrated on various wheeled chassis.
(Rheinmetall)
for missiles such as Spike, Kornet or
Ingwe. Elevation range is between –10°
and +75°. The gunner sight is gyrostabilized in elevation and includes a Gen
II thermal camera, a daylight colour TV
camera, a laser range finder and a backup fibre optic sight for manual aiming.
The commander’s position can also be
equipped with a stabilized panoramic
day/night sight or a panoramic thermal
imager. The company philosophy is to
provide minimal protection to the cannon,
mostly against environmental factors,
Level 3 crew protection being ensured
by the standard roof interface (solutions
have been considered for increasing
cannon protection to Level 3, 4 or even
further). An optional hatch can be added
to provide the commander with directview capability. The second prototype
of the Hitfist OWS is being installed on
a Freccia infantry fighting vehicle that
will be sent to Russia for testing – this
solution allows to increase the number of
dismounts inside the vehicle.
the M242 Bushmaster 25 mm cannon, or
TRT-B25. Complete with two 130-round
bins, it weighs only 850 kg, including the
7.62 mm co-axial machine gun with its
1,000 ready rounds, four 76 mm smoke
grenade launchers and the optronics.
Fully stabilised, the TRT-B25 can fired on
the move and has a –10°/+65° elevation
range. At Africa Aerospace and Defence
2012 BAE Systems unveiled the second
member of its TRT family, the TRT-30
armed with the Russian Shipunov 2A42
30 mm automatic cannon. The turret is
also armed with an Eastern Europe 7.62
mm co-axial machine gun and can be
equipped with antitank missiles of the
same origin. Remotely controlled by a
single operator it can be home to other
guns of between 25 and 35 mm. The
new turret incorporates various lessons
learned and therefore the TRT-B25 will
be in future a subset of the TRT-R30,
Commonality between the various
turret models being estimated at 95 per
cent for the electronics and 70 per cent
for the structure. A wider cradle was
installed and the structure was modified
to accommodate more weight and
functionalities. The number of ready
rounds was increased, the TRT-R30MK
carrying up to 400 30 mm rounds and
1,000 machine-gun rounds, resulting in a
combat weight of 1,435 kg. The TRT was
qualified under engineering trials and is
ready for user evaluation and production.
The use of the two different cannons gives
BAE Systems the flexibility of Nato and
non Nato weapons and hence a bigger
market to aim at.
BAE Systems’ Global Combat SystemsWeapons Lemur remote control weapon
system was shown in 2009 in its new
version capable to host not only small
calibre weapons, but also 25 and 30 mm
guns. Initially offered with ATK M242
BAE Systems South African Branch
introduced at Eurosatory 2010 the
Tactical Remote Turret (TRT) armed with
Starting from its Hitfist series of
medium calibre turrets OTO Melara
has developed a remotely controlled
version, while a customised version for
recce vehicles (as featured here) has
been produced for Italy. (Armada/Paolo
Valpolini)
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MEDIUM CALIBER TURRETS
BAE Systems Global Combat SystemsWeapons Lemur is now offered with the
M242 25 mm Bushmaster chain gun
and the M230LF 30 mm cannon, both
produced by ATK. (BAE Systems)
25 mm Bushmaster chain gun, the ATK
M230LF 30 mm cannon has since been
integrated. Both configurations offer
an elevation of –20° to +55°. Combatproven with lighter weapons, the Lemur is
still looking for a contract in its medium
calibre configuration.
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Turret, or Weapon Station?
Following the presentation of a prototype
in 2009 Kongsberg of Norway continued
the development of its medium calibre
remotely controlled turret. Kongsberg
underlines the fact that its medium calibre
system is not a weapon station but a turret,
as it considers it vital to protect the gun
FNSS unveiled its Claw turret at IDEF 2011. Armed with a 25 mm Rheinmetall KBA 25 mm
cannon it can also host a 30 mm weapon. Also seen here is a view of the man-machineinterface of the Claws mounted in an infantry combat vehicle. (FNSS)
Unveiled in 2012, the 30 mm version of
the BAE Systems TRT, known as TRT-R30
is an improved version of the TRT-B25
armed with the Russian Shipunov 2A42
30 mm. BAE Systems
not only from the ballistic threat but
also from sand and weather conditions,
ballistic protection being ranging from
Level 1 to Level 5 (see our title picture).
The latest design incorporates new
features; the cannon is the new stretched
version of ATK’s 30 mm Mk44 fitted
for air burst munitions that should be
qualified in late 2012. It features a linkless
ammunition feed that reduces reloading
time and improves reliability; no jamming
occurred while firing over 50,000 rounds.
The linkless system is slightly more
expensive than the traditional one, but is
well compensated by the savings on links.
The cannon maintains the original dualfeed feature with first round selection.
The turret allows reloading under armour
and can host other weapons in the 20-50
mm calibre range, its optronic suite being
tailored to the weapon installed in terms
of identification range. The company
expect a first contract in late 2012.
In 2011 FNSS unveiled a new remotely
controlled turret known as Claw. Armed
with a Rheinmetall KBA 25 mm dualfeed cannon it features a coaxial 7.62
mm machine gun installed on the right
of the main weapon, while two series of
four 76 mm smoke grenade launchers are
mounted at the back. Stabilised on two
axis, its fire control system includes an
auto-tracker while the sighting system
features an independent stabilised sight
with thermal camera, day camera and
laser rangefinder. Sitting low – height is
limited to 590 mm – the Claw carries 160
ready rounds for the main gun and 200
for the coax, its weight being of 1,500 kg
in the standard configuration, that is with
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The Mizrak-30 medium calibre remotely controlled turret developed by Otokar and
unveiled in 2011 is in the final stage of development. (Otokar)
Level 2 protection. FNSS kept a growth
potential for its new product, since the
Claw can cradle a 30 mm cannon, receive
an antitank missile launcher on the left
side and an independent commander’s
sight on its roof, while protection can be
increased at Level 3.
An Otokar Mizrak-30 medium calibre
remotely controlled turret functional
mock-up was unveiled at IDEF 2011 on
an Arma 8x8. Final prototypes were then
built, tests started in early 2012 while
software optimization is still underway.
The Mizrak-30 is a high-tier turret with
independent stabilized commander’s and
gunner’s sights with auto-tracking. Both
sights include a cooled thermal camera, a
CCD day camera and a laser rangefinder.
Mizrak prototypes are armed with a
–10°/+60° elevation, electromechanical
feed 30mm cannon, each feed channel
having 104 ready rounds. The turret
modular designs allows to integrate
other types of cannon from 25 to 40 mm
caliber, as well as anti-tank missiles, laser
warning receiver, soft/hard kill systems,
C3I etc. Standard protection is at Level 2
but modular armour kits can increase it
up to Level 5. A coaxial 7.62 mm machine
gun with 500 ready rounds completes
the weaponry. The Mizrak combat ready
weight is 2.7 tons. Final field tests are
to be finished by early 2013, the turret
being ready for serial production in
mid-2013. Otokar is carrying out some
design activities for a few variants having
different main armaments and for a
manned turret concept.
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