The Polish Armed Forces still have more than 900 old Soviet BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) in service. In addition, several Eastern European countries and Ukraine continue to operate the BMP-1, which remains relevant despite its age.
Against this backdrop, Turkish defense company Canik, known for its small arms and broader range of defense systems, has proposed its own solution for upgrading the BMP-1: a remote weapon station designed to enhance the vehicle's capabilities. However, the amount of ammunition it carries is a significant drawback.
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According to Janes, Turkish company Canik showcased its conceptual design for the modernization of the BMP-1 at the MSPO 2026 exhibition in Kielce, Poland.
The key feature is the installation of the Unirobotics Trakon Core 30 remote weapon station, equipped with a 30-mm Venom LR automatic cannon from AEI Systems. Without ammunition, it weighs 400 kilograms. With ammunition, its weight increases to 650 kilograms, while the ammunition load consists of just 150 rounds.
According to the developers, the goal of the project is to propose a solution for modernizing BMP-1s still in service in Eastern European countries without requiring any structural modifications to the vehicle.
From Defense Express we would like to note the extremely low ammunition capacity—just 150 rounds for the 30-mm automatic cannon. This is particularly low compared with the BMP-2, which carries 500 rounds for its 30-mm automatic cannon; the Marder IFV, with 1,250 rounds for its 20-mm automatic cannon; or even the CV90, which carries 250 rounds for its 40-mm automatic cannon.
For instance, the Ukrainian Spys remote weapon station for the BMP-1 carries 300 rounds for its 30-mm cannon.
Against this backdrop, one possibility is that this is still a "raw" design from Turkish manufacturers for Eastern Europe based on the BMP-1, which will undergo further refinement.
Another possibility is that they are counting on limited competition in this market, expecting potential customers looking to upgrade their BMP-1s to accept such weapon stations despite their limited ammunition capacity.
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