SYS Group – CANiK General Manager Cahit Utku Aral said that C4Defence reaching its 150th issue shows that Türkiye’s defence industry is a dynamic, constantly evolving ecosystem. Answering our questions, Aral spoke about the company and stressed that they are no longer just a weapons manufacturer but a technology brand.
C4Defence: As C4Defence reaches its 150th issue, the long-standing partnerships we have built with the leading brands of the defence industry are a great source of pride for us. In your view, how does this culture of information sharing between media, industry and the public sector contribute to Türkiye’s global brand value?
SYS Group – CANiK General Manager Cahit Utku Aral: First of all, I congratulate C4Defence on reaching its 150th issue, and everyone who contributed to getting here. The fact that C4Defence has lasted this long is itself proof of how dynamic and constantly evolving an ecosystem the Turkish defence industry is. On this journey, the partnerships you have built with leading brands serve as a bridge that keeps its finger on the pulse of the sector, and that is a great source of pride for all of us. The culture of information sharing between media, industry and the public sector makes a direct, multi-layered contribution to Türkiye’s global brand value. This three-way structure reinforces transparency, innovation and reliability, showing that our country is not just a supplier but a power with a deep-rooted defence ecosystem.
Media platforms like C4Defence make technical details accessible and carry the industry’s achievements onto the international stage. This supports the vision of public institutions such as the Presidency of Defence Industries and motivates the industry’s R&D investments. Ultimately, this culture of sharing makes Turkish defence products the preferred choice in 185 countries; CANiK’s global export success and SYS Group’s integrated ecosystem, for example, reach wider audiences thanks to this cycle. In terms of global brand value, it turns the “Made in Türkiye” label into a seal of quality. Sector media channels can even be seen as a trade fair held every month.
Looking ahead, I believe all stakeholders in the sector will continue the productive cooperation we have seen so far and help carry the Turkish defence industry even further.
C4Defence: With its facilities at home and abroad, SYS Group has taken its production and engineering capabilities worldwide. The integration of CANiK, AEI Systems and UNIROBOTICS is now the concrete embodiment of the “design–produce–integrate” model. How does this multi-layered production capability strengthen SYS Group’s vision of becoming a global player in the defence industry?
Cahit Utku Aral: SYS Group operates seven facilities across three continents (Türkiye, the US and the UK), and for us this is not merely geographic expansion but the cornerstone of a strategic transformation. CANiK’s weapon designs, AEI Systems’ more than 50 years of medium-calibre cannon engineering heritage, and UNIROBOTICS’ autonomous remote-controlled weapon systems embody our “design–produce–integrate” model perfectly. This integration lets us offer platform manufacturers turnkey solutions across a range from small to medium calibre. For example, integrating the VENOM LR cannon with TRAKON 30 makes a difference on land and naval platforms with low recoil and high accuracy.
This multi-layered capability strengthens our global-player vision in several ways. First, cost efficiency and single-source supply increase supply chain reliability; with our Florida facility, which has been producing since 2024, we have direct access to the US defence market, worth US$1 trillion a year. Second, our vision of being a technology company accelerates innovation within the Group; in 2025, the TRAKON 108 and TRAKON M134 turrets were developed very quickly and sales were made. Third, it multiplies our export figures. In 2025 we are targeting US$250 million in consolidated revenue, of which we aim to generate US$220 million from exports.
In the end, this model takes us beyond being just a manufacturer and makes us a leader in the integrated defence ecosystem. Most recently, the agreements we signed with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Azerbaijan at IDEF 2025 can be listed as recent fruits of this vision.
C4Defence: The METE MC9 PRIME, under the CANiK USA label, was named “Concealed Carry Handgun of the Year” at the 2025 Industry Choice Awards in the US, winning what is considered the Oscar of the firearms world. This success once again showed the maturity CANiK has reached in design, production and user engagement. How will the engineering elements that stood out in this process, such as trigger technology, weight optimisation, recoil balance and modularity, shape your future product strategy?
Cahit Utku Aral: The METE MC9 PRIME being named “Concealed Carry Handgun of the Year” at the 2025 Industry Choice Awards is the brightest triumph of CANiK’s US production strength and our user-focused innovation. This micro-compact 9mm pistol, produced at our Florida facility under the “Made in USA” label, impressed the jury on ergonomics, reliability and shooting performance. Its slim design, integrated compensator and optic compatibility made it the best in its class. Combined with the successes CANiK has achieved at the ICA over the last eight years, this award confirms the maturity of our design and production. We can say with confidence that we are no longer just a weapons manufacturer, but a technology brand.
As you listed, the standout engineering elements will shape our future product strategy as follows. First, we will expand the METE series by focusing on the everyday carry and personal defence segment, create patented, innovative designs and increase modular accessory integration. Second, by feeding user feedback into R&D, we will keep pushing our user-friendliness forward. Third, by creating synergy with the MECANiK accessory ecosystem, we will develop hybrid solutions for civilian and professional users. This strategy will support our 2025 export targets and make CANiK a leader in the global shooting market; for example, we will continue to offer a complete “carry solution” with premium holsters and tool kits.
C4Defence: AEI Systems’ VENOM LR 30×113 mm cannon and UNIROBOTICS’ TRAKON 30 UKSS integration drew great interest at the Close Combat Symposium 2025 in the United Kingdom. How does the performance these systems have shown in international markets reflect the level SYS Group has reached in medium-calibre cannon engineering? Do you plan to take these integrations further for land, air and naval platforms in the coming period?
Cahit Utku Aral: At the Close Combat Symposium 2025, the integration of our VENOM LR 30×113 mm cannon with TRAKON 30 UKSS on the NMS UK Dragon 4×4 vehicle drew great interest from UK Ministry of Defence and NATO delegations. The first-ever 30mm live-fire demonstration at the event proved the system’s accuracy and low recoil in the field; AEI Systems’ more than 50 years of British engineering heritage and UNIROBOTICS’ stabilisation technology made this integration a “new generation” solution.
This performance also shows SYS Group’s level in medium-calibre cannon engineering. As one of only three manufacturers in the world, VENOM LR’s variable rate of fire and lowest-recoil mechanism provide layered defence against modern threats such as C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems). It stands out in international markets for its ease of platform integration. The interest we have seen at the events and fairs we have attended so far is proof of this. We have developed important partnerships with platform manufacturers from many different countries, and we are working hard to add new ones.
In the coming period, yes, we will take these integrations further for land, air and naval platforms. We will expand TRAKON 30 with lighter land and naval variants (TRAKON LITE) and adapt VENOM for unmanned systems for air platforms. Through partnerships such as those with HAVELSAN and Nurol Makina, we aim to offer fully qualified products by 2026. All these developments will reinforce SYS Group’s role in the global supply chain.
C4Defence: Since its founding, CANiK ACADEMY has been more than a training body; it has taken on a mission of producing knowledge, setting standards and improving user experience in the defence industry. Growing together with MECANiK, the brand that reaches civilian users directly, has created new synergy in both product perception and technical training. In the coming period, how do you foresee training evolving in terms of digitalisation, international certification processes and field-based product experience programmes?
Cahit Utku Aral: CANiK ACADEMY truly has a special place in all our work. Since its founding, it has been positioned not just as a training body but as a knowledge-production centre in the defence industry. Through tactical shooting training, disciplined usage standards and user experience development, we are in fact shaping the future of the sector. With the MECANiK brand, with its universal optics and accessory ecosystem, this vision reaches civilian users and creates synergy. At events such as BORAN VII or Ateş Serbest 2025, MECANiK accessories and ACADEMY training move product perception away from “use and discard” towards a “life cycle” approach. This growth strengthens the perception of reliability in both the professional and civilian segments.
These are the areas we expect to evolve in the coming period. On digitalisation, we will make VR/AR-based simulation training more widespread; by 2026, 50 per cent will shift to online modules, increasing global reach. On international certification, we will develop NATO-compliant programmes and, combining them with AEI Systems’ British heritage, obtain European and US approvals. On field-based product experience programmes, we will organise “experience camps” with user feedback. This evolution will make ACADEMY not just a trainer but a standard-setting institution; we will continue to add value to SYS Group’s integrated ecosystem.
Originally published in Turkish in C4Defence magazine, Issue 150
