WDS 2026: Lockheed Martin UK teams with Eraf on unmanned turret

The Lockheed Martin UK Uncrewed Turret displayed on the Eraf stand. (Andrew White)

Lockheed Martin UK and Saudi Arabia's Eraf Industrial Company unveiled an unmanned turret at the World Defense Show (WDS) held in Riyadh from 8 to 12 February.

Currently referred to as the ‘Lockheed Martin UK Uncrewed Turret' (the company is considering a permanent name), the system was displayed with a Northrop Grumman 30 mm Bushmaster gun, an M134 Gatling-type machine gun, and a single Javelin anti-tank guided missile.

It could be armed with a variety of weapons of different calibres, including Lockheed Martin's 40 mm CT40 Cased Telescoped Weapon System, Alex King, Lockheed Martin UK's business development lead for complex systems, told Janes. It could also be equipped with a high-energy laser or vertical launch system in the future, pending customer requirements, he added.

The turret displayed at WDS featured a Thales electro-optical system, a 360° camera array that would enable it to be used on an unmanned ground vehicle, and five illustrative radar antennas that could support an active protection system, King said.

While the two-tonne turret could be integrated with new and legacy tracked and wheeled vehicles, King said the company is targeting a possible Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG) requirement for a tracked short-range air-defence (SHORAD) system.

Live fire tests are scheduled to start in Saudi Arabia before the end of this year, with an initial focus on 30 mm ammunition in line with the SANG's requirements. These will be followed by 40 mm tests that could include the CT40, King said.