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Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

Could you tell us a little about the advantages provided by KAPGAN?

Veysel Ataoğlu

I can say that KAPGAN is actually a new concept for our country as well. Our vehicle weighs about 1.4 tons. It has a payload capacity of 600 kilograms. The payload you see on it includes a weapon capable of engaging air and ground targets at a range of 3 km, with an effective range of 2 km, and the ability to penetrate approximately 25 mm of armor at 800 meters. This weapon actually puts us one step ahead on the battlefield.

Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

What are the features that make KAPGAN stand out?

Veysel Ataoğlu

Especially when you consider the situation in our region—Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, and other issues—we saw that the question is: how strong are you on the battlefield? The stronger your payload, the stronger you are. The more mobility you have, the stronger you are. By integrating our weapon and vehicle in this way, we tried to bring together a certain concept.

Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

What is the current status of KAPGAN’s testing phases?

Veysel Ataoğlu

Our vehicle has certain testing phases coming up soon. In particular, we will complete its mobility tests, hull tests, and firing tests by the beginning of next year. By the middle of next year, our goal is to truly test this vehicle in the field together with the user. Our aim is to bring this unmanned vehicle to the level where, within the existing digital unit framework, it can perform missions autonomously together with our other unmanned systems—and to apply this in the field. Our work on this continues.

Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

What is HAVELSAN’s role and significance in the defense sector?

Veysel Ataoğlu

I can say this: as HAVELSAN, we add intelligence to platforms rather than focusing solely on the platforms themselves. We are at a very strong point when it comes to intelligence, and we believe that in the battlefield of the future, a new concept is being written. We think HAVELSAN will be among those writing that concept. In this direction, we believe we stand out with our air, land, and naval vehicles. As you know, we also have the SANCAR unmanned surface vessel. All of these will be able to operate under a single concept—autonomously and robotically.

Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

What is the status of your work in the field of electronic warfare?

Veysel Ataoğlu

Our work against electronic warfare is also continuing. We have covered significant ground and made progress. Our goal is for our vehicles to be able to complete their missions in the field even without any communication or GPS. In other words, even if the vehicle completely loses communication and GPS during its mission, it will still be able to continue. After the mission is completed, it will also be able to return home. This can be described as a new feature, a new concept, for the battlefield.

Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

What are the goals of HAVELSAN and KAPGAN?

Veysel Ataoğlu

Our goal is to bring unmanned vehicles to a better level and put platforms into the field that will benefit our country. We have partners on these platforms, and we work together with them. We have created good synergy. As you saw at SAHA EXPO today, our product attracted a lot of attention. And the future—our goal is the future. We want to shape the battlefield of the future. While creating this vehicle, we were also considering our region. We are in the Gulf, we are in Asia, we are in Europe. HAVELSAN is present everywhere, and we are in discussions with the forces there. We are also meeting with the countries, companies, and representatives in those regions. We are conducting studies according to their battlefield expectations. Especially in the Gulf countries, we have serious negotiations concerning both this vehicle and our other systems.

Milli Müdafaa Muhabiri

There is great international interest in KAPGAN. How do you evaluate this?

Veysel Ataoğlu

We will be signing some agreements soon. And our first target is export. In terms of export, invitations regarding these vehicles were sent to a portion of the approximately 57 countries represented at SAHA EXPO 2022. Over the course of 3–4 days, we will be holding meetings with them. I hope good outcomes will emerge. I believe we will produce something beneficial for our country.