The Turkish defense industry is set to introduce its uncrewed land vehicle, Kapgan, developed by Havelsan, abroad for the first time at the IDEX International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 20-24.

The event will host high-level official delegations worldwide to showcase the latest defense industry technologies.

As part of the "digital unity" concept, Havelsan will exhibit its range of uncrewed aerial and land vehicles at the fair, including Kapgan, a medium-class-2 uncrewed land vehicle; Barkan, a medium-class-1 uncrewed land vehicle, and Baha, an under-cloud uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV).

Kapgan, exhibited with a 30x113 millimeter cannon, has undergone integration studies in collaboration with Turkish arms maker Canik and Unirobotics.

The weapon system has armor-piercing features against land and air targets and can provide an effective range of 2,000 meters, making it an effective deterrent.

Additionally, Kapgan can integrate weapon systems of different types and calibers.

Havelsan Robotics and Autonomous Systems Project Manager Veysel Ataoğlu told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the company has been showcasing their uncrewed aerial and land vehicles at domestic and international fairs, as well as conducting activities with users in various regions, recently in earthquake zones.

Ataoğlu added that during these activities, they had demonstrated Havelsan’s autonomous capabilities in the field, including applications such as reconnaissance, surveillance, object detection, lead tracking, independent patrol, vehicle tracking, GPS-independent missions and returning home in case of link loss.

Kapgan boasts superior maneuverability thanks to its wheeled structure, allowing operations in all weather and terrain conditions and different visibility levels. In addition, the vehicle platform is equipped with interfaces to carry additional loads when necessary, making it an ideal solution for tactical operations.

Thanks to the Havelsan Autonomy Package, Kapgan is designed to withstand electronic warfare (EW) with its autonomous patrol capabilities, GPS-independent mission execution, dynamic route planning, return home functionality in case of link loss and drivable path analysis.

This package makes Kapgan a reliable solution in various operational scenarios.

With its 5-kilometer (3-mile) tactical data link, GSM and satellite communication infrastructure, 4-meter (13-foot) perimeter surveillance mast and high-tech sensor systems, Kapgan provides day and night vision and sensing capabilities for its environment.

Additionally, the vehicle is integrated with a wired or wireless drone that acts as a relay in cases where the range is insufficient, ensuring uninterrupted communication via the drone’s integrated modem and monitoring areas out of sight. This feature increases the vehicle’s surveillance, reconnaissance and operational capabilities.

Kapgan is developed by hybrid/swarm digital unity mission execution, providing an effective solution against asymmetric threats, automatic target tracking, residential area operations, reconnaissance, surveillance, patrol and tactical transfers.

Useful payload

Integrating ergonomic and modular ground command and control stations with robotic arms will provide law enforcement officers with increased high-strike capability.

This feature, combined with the superior maneuverability of Kapgan, will make it an essential tool for tactical operations.

Kapgan’s native and original software and modular architecture offer the flexibility to perform various tasks in different sizes and types to meet diverse operational needs. This feature makes Kapgan an effective solution for different scenarios and applications.

The heavy-class uncrewed land vehicle weighs 1,400 kilograms and has a payload capacity of 600 kilograms, making it suitable for heavy-duty tasks.

With a top speed of 25 kph (15-mph), Kapgan can operate for up to six hours, providing ample time for extended missions.

Quake zone mission

Baha and Barkan, two uncrewed vehicles that have played a crucial role in search and rescue operations in Türkiye’s earthquake-affected regions in the southeast, will also be showcased at the IDEX Fair.

Baha captured and shared images with the coordination center in the area, assisting search and rescue teams in their efforts to locate and aid those in need. In addition, its ability to fly below clouds when inclement weather conditions hinder conventional UAVs proved essential in gathering information on the settlements inaccessible by traditional means.

With its vertical take-off and landing capabilities, Baha can operate in field and terrain conditions without needing a runway. In addition, the drone’s sealed body structure allows it to use in drizzly weather and transmit high-quality images from distances up to 50 kilometers, thanks to its advanced electro-optical equipment.

Barkan was also deployed to the earthquake zone to transport essential supplies with its load-carrying basket. Equipped with a 12.7 mm weapon system, which was recently tested successfully with Kapgan, Barkan is a versatile tool that can serve various tactical applications.