ADEX 2024: Azerbaijan supplies 30 mm guns for EM&E Guardian turrets

EM&E's Guardian 30 fitted with an AT-30 on display at ADEX with another AT-30 to the right. (President of the Republic of Azerbaijan)

The Spanish company Escribano Mechanical and Engineering's (EM&E's) Guardian 30 unmanned turret was displayed armed with an Azerbaijani-made 30×165 mm gun at the ADEX show held in Baku from 24 to 26 September.

Jose María Farfán, EM&E business development manager, told Janes this weapon was selected for a very large order his company secured for Guardian 30 turrets. He was not permitted to identify the customer, the number of turrets that will be delivered, their secondary systems, or the type of vehicle that they will be fitted to, but said the order was larger than the 200 that the company is supplying to the Spanish Army for its new Dragón 8×8 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). He noted that the turrets could be fitted to either new or modernised vehicles.

Farfán said the state-owned Azerbaijani company, Research Production Enterprise (IGLIM), is supplying the AT-30 guns for the contract, which will be shipped separately to the customer to be integrated with the turrets being made in Spain.

The AT-30 displayed next to the Guardian 30 at ADEX appeared to be a copy of the 2A42 that is used by the BMP-2 IFV and other Soviet armoured vehicles.

For more information, please see UAE to upgrade IFV fleet with Guardian 30 unmanned turrets .