Hanwha and Lockheed Martin UK Unveil 40mm C-UAS Turret for Redback
Millbrook, September 17, 2026 — South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace and Lockheed Martin UK unveiled a new version of the AS21 Redback infantry fighting vehicle fitted with a 40mm turret and counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) capability at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) 2026 exhibition in Millbrook, England. The configuration was developed specifically to court NATO members modernizing their armored and reconnaissance fleets.
Turret and command system
The new turret is armed with a NATO-qualified CTA International 40mm cannon. It was developed and integrated at Lockheed Martin UK’s Bedfordshire facility and marks the first integration of the company’s SkyKeeper command-and-control system directly into a turret architecture. SkyKeeper was previously deployed as a standalone air-defence system; folding it into Redback lets the vehicle combine conventional ground combat with defence against small drones on a single platform.
Why 40mm
Hanwha said it chose the 40mm calibre for the breadth of ammunition types available, including airburst, armour-piercing and programmable fused rounds. That range gives the vehicle flexibility to engage both armoured targets and low-flying small drones without swapping systems.
Redback’s track record
The AS21 Redback is Hanwha’s fifth-generation infantry fighting vehicle, with 129 units on order for the Australian Army under the LAND 400 Phase 3 programme. The Australian variant carries a Northrop Grumman Mk44S Bushmaster II 30mm cannon and Spike LR2 anti-tank missiles; the 40mm C-UAS version shown at DVD 2026 is a distinct configuration aimed at the NATO market. The vehicle uses Australian-made Bisalloy armour steel, an Iron Fist active protection system and rubber composite tracks.
Target market
The companies described the offering as “a low-risk, in-service platform” that NATO customers can tailor to their needs. The UK’s own push to renew its armoured fleet, alongside a broader European search for C-UAS capacity against the rising drone threat, explains the timing of the unveiling.
A parallel with Turkish industry
Turkish manufacturers face a similar requirement: FNSS’s Kaplan and Pars families are being fitted with turret-mounted counter-drone options developed alongside ASELSAN’s electronic-warfare and guided-munition work. Redback’s 40mm-plus-C-UAS pairing signals that turret modularity and drone defence are no longer optional extras in the armoured vehicle market but a baseline expectation — a trend increasingly shaping Turkish export offers as well.
What remains unclear
Neither company has announced a firm order or named a customer in active negotiations. No timeline for series production, unit cost, or list of evaluating countries has been disclosed.
Sources
- Army Recognition, “Lockheed Martin UK and South Korea Unveil AS21 Redback 40 mm IFV With Counter-Drone Capability,” September 16-17, 2026
- Defensehere, “Hanwha Aerospace and Lockheed Martin UK present Redback IFV with 40mm C-UAS turret”
- Hanwha Defence Australia, official Redback IFV product page
