The Slovak company EVPÚ is moving ahead in the development and production of TURRA 30 towers suitable for integration for combat armoured wheeled and tracked vehicles.
TURRA 30 is a remote-controlled unmanned tower set, stabilized in two axes, completely designed and manufactured by EVPÚ. It is used to control and position weapon systems. In addition, for precise control of speed and position in the horizontal and vertical planes for aiming weapons, the turret ensures their stabilization and control, as well as observation and aiming through the built-in observation and aiming device of the shooter or commander. The shooter’s observation and aiming device is mechanically coupled in elevation with the main cannon and ballistically protected at STANAG 4569 Level 1. It can also be independent, stabilized in two axes and ballistically protected at STANAG 4569 Level 2. The commander’s independent panoramic observation and the aiming device is ballistic protected with STANAG 4569 Level 2.
The tower set is armed with a 30 mm automatic cannon type MK-44S Bushmaster II or GTS-30 / A and 3.5 generation anti-tank missile SPIKE LR / LR-2. Coupled with 7.62 mm machine gun type FN MAG or PKT and smoke grenade type GALIX or TUČA, it is highly effective to eliminate armoured vehicles or low-flying targets. All these weapon systems are integrated into the tower set in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturers of the products.
The main advantage of the TURRA30 turret set is the location of ammunition outside the crew compartment, the mounting of weapons above the level of the vehicle body and the location of operators outside the turret compartment, which ultimately brings high security to the entire vehicle crew.
The full firing diameter of the TURRA 30 turret set for 30 mm ammunition of 30 × 173 mm calibre is 300 rounds of ammunition, and for 7.62 × 51 mm ammunition, there are 600 rounds of ammunition, which gives the TURRA 30 turret set a big advantage over the competition. Another advantage of the TURRA 30 tower set is its low height, which allows it to be integrated into the infantry vehicle while not significantly increasing the profile of the vehicle. Together with its low weight, it guarantees minimal influence on the driving characteristics of the vehicle and, at the same time, maintains any requirement for the vehicle to float.
The TURRA 30 tower set helps to increase the degree of ballistic protection by fitting additional armour. The tower set, equipped with modular plates, has been certified and meets the conditions of STANAG 4569 Level 1 ballistic protection and protects the vehicle crew – STANAG 4569 Level 3 in the basic version. The TURRA 30 tower lets the user increase the degree of ballistic protection by fitting additional armour.
Smoke grenade launchers are built into the TURRA 30 tower set, which also ensures their ballistic protection. The TURRA 30 turret set has a modern fire control system that allows effective control of weapon systems (controlled cadence, increased shooting efficiency) and communication with systems installed in the vehicle.
TURRA 30 has a high degree of modularity of electrical equipment and mechanical parts, uses observation and aiming devices from its own production and can also use the integration of the main 30mm cannon, used in the Slovak Armed Forces and manufactured in Slovakia. 30 mm MK44S Bushmaster II cannon can be installed with the replacement of some of the mechanical components of the TURRA 30 tower set.
The advantage of such modularity is fast repair and highly flexible service at reduced costs. The variability of the tower equipment from the basic version to the complex version with an independent panoramic observation and aiming device for the commander with hunter-killer function, increased ballistic protection, smoke system, and other equipment elements such as laser radiation detection and identification system makes the TURRA 30 tower set a tool for a large number of combat situations and gives the customer a choice of a wide range of prices.
The production capabilities of EVPÚ were also confirmed by the successful completion of the project of modernization of infantry fighting vehicles for the Slovak Armed Forces.
The TURRA 30 tower set has undergone major modernization, which consists of significant weight reduction, the use of new types of materials, changes in ergonomics of controls and user interface, as well as the integration of programmable ammunition, which can be used especially for destroying low-flying targets.