Since our establishment in 1998, we have achieved numerous successes. We have always worked diligently and overcome significant challenges to reach these milestones.
. While there are still many years ahead before CANiK, the first and largest operation of the SYS group, can fully realize this goal, we will continue on this path unwaveringly. SYS group companies, including CANiK USA and AEI Systems, persist with the same vision and objective.
Dear CANiK Family,
Since our establishment in 1998, we have achieved numerous successes. We have always worked diligently and overcome significant challenges to reach these milestones. Our accomplishments would not have been possible without our harmonious collaboration, ownership of our responsibilities, and unwavering determination to develop our country and create a global brand.
At Samsun Yurt Defense (SYS), we consistently aim to be the "best in the sector" across all our group companies. While there are still many years ahead before CANiK, the first and largest operation of the SYS group, can fully realize this goal, we will continue on this path unwaveringly. SYS group companies, including CANiK USA and AEI Systems, persist with the same vision and objective.
In addition to producing firearms under the CANiK brand, SYS established UNIDEF in 2013 in collaboration with Khan Arms and Cem Kurter. The purpose was to integrate firearms into platforms. UNIDEF has tirelessly worked to prepare for the integration processes required for long arms (rifles, machine guns, etc.) and to represent regionally those companies producing these weapons abroad. In 2017, CANiK Türkiye set its vision to indigenize M2 QCB, M2F, and M3 heavy machine guns, making it crucial to develop stabilized and remotely controlled weapon systems alongside mechanical weapon integration efforts. As a result of UNIDEF’s research and development, UNIROBOTICS was founded in 2020 in partnership with Ömür Baç, who serves as a founding partner and the General Manager today.
In just 1.5 years, UNIROBOTICS secured a significant contract for the development of TRAKON TARGAN weapon turrets, intended for use on offshore patrol vessels built by ASFAT as the main contractor and integrated into HAVELSAN's ADVENT combat management system.
With the 2023 acquisition of AEI Systems, a prominent British company specializing in medium-caliber cannons with a 60-year history, weapon integration solutions have become even more pivotal.
Accordingly, UNIROBOTICS required fresh investments and substantial financial resources. A proposition was presented at the company general assembly, indicating the need to allocate more financial resources in the 2024 budget to ensure sustainable growth. At the general assembly held in November 2023, the partners of our company UNIDEF, Kayhan Av Tüfekleri (Khan Arms) and Cem Kurter, decided they could not participate in the funding process and opted to sell their shares back to SYS.
Following these decisions, as of March 8, UNIDEF became a wholly-owned SYS group company, bringing 80 percent of UNIROBOTICS into our group as well.
As Zafer Aral, while I feel saddened to end a partnership for the first time in my industrial career, I will always cherish the opportunity to engage with Turkey’s young investors; Burak İlgün and Şafak Atilla.
Recently, the UNIROBOTICS team successfully completed their project collaboration with HAVELSAN at the beginning of 2024 and passed the factory acceptance tests in March. On this note, I want to emphasize that there is still much work to be done, and extend my gratitude to Ömür Baç, our UNIROBOTICS team, and the CANiK Türkiye team for their relentless support.
My expectation for all our companies is to share their experiences, adapt most effectively to changing conditions, and create synergy within our group. I am confident that we will achieve this in UNIROBOTICS, just as we have fostered unity, solidarity, and collective effort towards a common goal within CANiK Türkiye, CANiK USA, AEI Systems, MECANiK, and CANiK ACADEMY in the SYS group of companies.
