AEI Systems Ready to Put British Medium-Calibre Capability Centre Stage at MSPO 2026 and DVD2026

The UK’s largest medium-calibre cannon producer will showcase their VENOM LR 30mm gun as it secures international export opportunities and strengthens engagement with the British Army.

Ascot, United Kingdom – 25 August 2026 – With just two weeks remaining until MSPO 2026, AEI Systems is completing preparations for two major defence exhibitions in September: the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO in Kielce, Poland and DVD2026 at UTAC Millbrook in Bedfordshire.

AEI Systems is CANiK’s UK-based design and production centre for medium-calibre weapon systems and a key part of the capability brought together by CANiK and its group companies. Participation in both exhibitions will underline the growing role of the UK based engineering and manufacturing team within CANiK’s international defence ecosystem.

The programme builds on the AEI Systems announcement of 31 July 2026 and the momentum generated by the successful demonstration of the VENOM LR 30 × 113 mm cannon at Close Combat Symposium 2026.

Two Exhibitions, One Strategic Message

AEI Systems will participate in MSPO 2026, taking place at Targi Kielce from 8 to 11 September for the first time. As one of Europe’s most important defence exhibitions, MSPO will provide a strategic platform for engagement with Poland, NATO allies, platform manufacturers and defence-industry partners across Eastern Europe, Scandinavia and the Baltic region.

The company will then return to the United Kingdom for DVD2026, held at UTAC Millbrook on 16 and 17 September. Jointly sponsored by the National Armaments Director Group and Army Headquarters, DVD2026 will bring together UK’s defence decision-makers, capability teams, equipment users and industry partners under the theme “Connected for Combat – Aligning People, Systems and Decisions.”

Participation in the two exhibitions reflects a clear strategic objective: to increase the international visibility of UK based designed and manufactured medium-calibre systems while strengthening the direct engagement of AEI Systems with the UK Ministry of Defence and the British Army.

VENOM LR at the Heart of the Programme

The centrepiece of the AEI Systems September programme will be the VENOM LR 30 × 113 mm revolver cannon.

VENOM LR combines a compact space envelope, low recoil, selectable rates of fire and high target effect with an integration-ready architecture. These characteristics allow genuine medium-calibre firepower to be installed on platforms that have traditionally been unable to accommodate the weight and recoil forces associated with larger cannon systems.

Designed for remote weapon station integration, VENOM LR is suitable for lightweight tactical vehicles, armoured platforms, unmanned ground vehicles, naval vessels and emerging counter-UAS applications. Its ability to support both new-build and modernisation programmes makes it particularly relevant to armed forces seeking to increase lethality without undertaking extensive structural modifications to existing platforms.

At Close Combat Symposium 2026, VENOM LR was successfully demonstrated as part of a complete weapon system integrated with the UNIROBOTICS TRAKON 30 Remote Controlled Weapon Station on the Dragon 4 × 4 armoured vehicle. The demonstration confirmed system accuracy, low recoil, controllability and suitability for mobile fire support, force protection, counter-UAS operations and integration onto manned and unmanned platforms.

MSPO and DVD2026 will provide further opportunities to discuss how this capability can be adapted to the operational and platform requirements of the United Kingdom, Poland and other NATO allies.

Expanding British Manufacturing Capacity

AEI Systems has plans to increase its annual manufacturing capacity to more than 400 medium-calibre cannon systems, establishing the company as the UK’s largest medium-calibre cannon producer and the world’s leading manufacturer of 30 × 113 mm cannon.

This expanded capacity will be designed to support growing international demand while providing the industrial scale required for long-term defence programmes. It also strengthens the contribution of AEI Systems to UK based manufacturing, skilled employment, defence exports and the resilience of NATO’s wider industrial base.

VENOM LR provides an ITAR-free alternative for customers seeking a readily exportable, integration-ready medium-calibre solution. Through the wider capabilities of CANiK and its group companies, AEI Systems can support customers with a complete capability encompassing the cannon, remotely controlled weapon system, platform integration, qualification, training and through-life support.

Strengthening the Bridge Between British Capability and Allied Demand

Utku Aral, CEO of CANiK, commented:

“September will be an important month for AEI Systems and for raising the international profile of British medium-calibre engineering.

Since AEI Systems became part of CANiK and its group companies, we have made significant investments in its production infrastructure and substantially increased its manufacturing capacity. Through these investments, we are building one of the world’s most competitive and capable production centres for medium-calibre weapon systems.

MSPO provides us with an important opportunity to engage with Poland and other NATO allies that are investing in greater lethality, operational readiness and sustainable defence-industrial capacity. DVD2026 will then enable us to continue this dialogue directly with the British Army, the Ministry of Defence and our UK industry partners.

Our ambition is not simply to preserve AEI Systems’ long-standing engineering expertise but to invest in its future and expand its contribution to the UK’s defence-industrial base. By combining the UK-designed and manufactured VENOM LR with the remotely controlled weapon systems and integration expertise available across CANiK and its group companies, we can offer a complete, scalable and integration-ready firepower solution for land, naval and unmanned platforms.

At both exhibitions, we look forward to meeting military delegations, platform manufacturers, integration partners and defence-procurement stakeholders to discuss their current and future medium-calibre firepower requirements.

Our objective is clear: to increase the global reach of British defence technology while ensuring that AEI Systems remains a strong, sustainable and internationally competitive part of the UK’s defence-industrial base.”

About AEI Systems

AEI Systems is a UK-based specialist in the design and manufacture of medium-calibre weapon systems and serves as CANiK’s design and production centre for medium-calibre capability.

Building upon more than six decades of engineering expertise, the company develops and manufactures cannon systems for land, naval, airborne and unmanned platforms.

The VENOM LR 30 × 113 mm revolver cannon is the company’s flagship product, combining low recoil, accuracy, reliability and integration flexibility to meet the requirements of modern armed forces.

Through continued investment in UK based engineering, manufacturing capacity and international partnerships, AEI Systems is committed to supporting the defence-industrial base and expanding the global reach of UK defence products.