Ilgaz (25mm Automatic Cannon)

The Ilgaz 25 mm Automatic Cannon is a domestic and national weapon system developed by Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE), which holds an important place in Türkiye’s defense industry. Produced at the MKE Çankırı Weapons Factory, this system is designed to provide effective firepower on land and naval platforms.

Technical Specifications

• Caliber: 25 mm
• Type: 25 M811 GIAT
• Total Length: 2630 mm
• Total Weight: 121 kg (113 kg + 8 kg)
• Barrel Length: 2130 mm
• Rate of Fire: 125 - 400 rounds per minute
• Ammunition Feed: Dual feed system
• Reload Time: 3 minutes
• Service Life: 16,000 rounds
• Power Consumption: 4600 W (650 rpm), 1200 W (400 rpm)
• Operating Principle: Powered by external power source
• Empty Cartridge Ejection: Forward direction
• Elevation Range: -8° to +45°
• Muzzle Velocity: 1360 m/s
• Effective Range: 1500 m

Production

The Ilgaz 25 mm Automatic Cannon is produced at MKE’s Çankırı Weapons Factory. This factory covers 1.5 million square meters of open area and 76,000 square meters of indoor space and is one of MKE’s most modern facilities. Besides the 25 mm Ilgaz automatic cannon, the factory also produces various weapon systems such as the 35 mm anti-aircraft gun, 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, and 105 mm Boran howitzer.

Comparative Evaluation

The Ilgaz 25 mm Automatic Cannon is based on the French GIAT M811 model and uses NATO-standard 25×137 mm ammunition. This ammunition type is effective against various targets with armor-piercing and high-explosive rounds.

When compared to other automatic cannons of similar caliber:

• M242 Bushmaster (USA): A 25 mm caliber weapon capable of firing at 200 rounds per minute with a range of 3000 meters.
• Oerlikon KBA (Switzerland): 25 mm caliber, capable of firing at 600 rounds per minute with a range of 3020 meters.

Ilgaz shares similar features with these systems and demonstrates Türkiye’s local production capacity in the defense industry.

The Ilgaz 25 mm Automatic Cannon represents an important step towards reducing Türkiye’s dependency on foreign defense systems. Produced with domestic and national resources, this system offers flexibility for use on land and naval platforms. Additionally, its manufacture in MKE’s modern production facilities showcases Türkiye’s technological capabilities in defense manufacturing.