Azerbaijan’s Zireh Introduces HMS30 Mobile Air Defence System with Twin 30mm Cannons Against Unmanned Aerial Threats.

Azerbaijani defence company Zireh unveiled the HMS30 mobile air defence system at ADEX 2026, presenting a twin 30 mm gun platform designed primarily to detect, track and destroy unmanned aerial threats. The system provides mobile forces with a gun-based counter-UAS option for point defence, where rapid engagement and lower-cost ammunition can complement missile-based air defence systems.

Mounted on a KAMAZ truck, the HMS30 combines a remotely operated turret with electro-optical surveillance and tracking, while retaining a secondary capability against ground targets. Its modular vehicle integration and planned sensor expansion reflect a broader shift toward mobile, layered

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Azerbaijani defence company Zireh unveiled the HMS30 mobile air defence system at ADEX 2026, combining twin 30mm cannons, electro-optical tracking, and a remotely operated turret to detect and engage unmanned aerial threats (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group)

Azerbaijani defence company Zireh unveiled its HMS30 air defence system at ADEX 2026 in Baku, presenting a mobile gun-based solution developed primarily for counter-unmanned aircraft system operations. The debut took place during the sixth Azerbaijan International Defence Exhibition, held from September 30 to October 2 at the Baku Expo Center, a major regional platform for military technology and international defence-industrial cooperation. Army Recognition Group, attending ADEX 2026 as an official media partner, was present on site to observe and assess the HMS30 directly and to examine the technical information presented by Zireh. This on-site access provides a closer view of how the Azerbaijani company is positioning the system within the rapidly expanding counter-UAS segment.

The HMS30 is particularly significant because it illustrates the growing technological depth of Azerbaijan’s national defence industry, combining mobility, remotely operated firepower, electro-optical observation and future sensor expansion in a domestically presented air-defence concept. Zireh forms part of Azerbaijan’s broader defence-industrial ecosystem, which continues to expand national production capabilities, develop new-generation weapon systems and strengthen international defence-industrial cooperation.

According to technical information published by Zireh, the HMS30 is built around a remotely controlled turret intended primarily for the counter-UAS (C-UAS) mission, providing detection, tracking and engagement capabilities against aerial threats. Zireh also identifies a secondary ground-to-ground engagement capability, expanding the system’s operational flexibility against different categories of targets. The configuration displayed at ADEX 2026 was installed on a KAMAZ truck platform, while modular interfaces are intended to permit integration on other military vehicles and platforms. The turret measures 1,451 mm in height, 2,400 mm in width and 3,693 mm in length, has a 2,345 mm swing radius, and a stated total combat weight of 3,200 kg. This combination of a truck-mounted architecture and relatively self-contained weapon station points to a concept focused on mobility, point defence and the possibility of adapting the turret to different vehicle fleets.

The HMS30 provides an elevation envelope of -15° to +85°, while its azimuth range is listed as n × 360°, indicating multi-turn all-round traverse. Maximum elevation and azimuth speeds are both stated at 1.35 rad/s. From a counter-UAS perspective, the high maximum elevation is particularly relevant because it gives the weapon station the geometry required to address targets approaching at steep angles, while rapid traverse supports quick repositioning of the weapon line of sight. Zireh also lists gyro stabilization, automatic target tracking, a laser range finder, day-and-night imaging and a fire-control computer with advanced functionalities. Taken together, these features show that the HMS30 is conceived not merely as a cannon mount, but as an integrated remotely operated engagement system combining observation, ranging, tracking and fire control.

At the centre of the HMS30 is a twin-cannon configuration consisting of two AT30 (2A42) 30 mm cannons, supported by a total ammunition capacity of 600 rounds, divided 300+300 between the weapons. Zireh lists a high rate of fire of 550 rounds per minute and a selectable low rate of 200 to 300 rounds per minute, with an effective range of 1,500 metres and a maximum range of 2,000 metres. The use of twin 30 mm weapons indicates that Zireh is positioning the HMS30 as a short-range kinetic C-UAS layer able to deliver a substantial volume of fire against aerial targets while retaining a secondary surface-engagement role. The availability of two firing-rate settings may also provide greater flexibility in ammunition management according to target type and engagement conditions. Importantly, the 1,500 m effective range should be distinguished from the 2,000 m maximum range published by the company, placing the HMS30 primarily in the point-defence and very-short-range engagement category. These figures remain manufacturer-stated specifications and should not be interpreted as independently verified live-fire performance data.

A particularly important feature of the HMS30 is Zireh’s emphasis on modularity and upgrade potential. The company specifically lists AESA radars and modular electro-optical system (EOS) integration under future upgrade possibilities rather than presenting them as fixed elements of the baseline configuration displayed at ADEX. This distinction is operationally important: it suggests that Zireh intends the HMS30 to serve as an adaptable architecture capable of receiving different sensor packages according to customer requirements or evolving threat conditions. Combined with automatic target tracking, laser ranging, day/night imaging and the onboard fire-control computer, future radar integration could broaden the system’s role within a larger sensor-to-effector network. This modular approach represents a noteworthy systems-engineering choice by Zireh and reinforces the company’s growing contribution to Azerbaijan’s defence-industrial portfolio.

The HMS30 must also be viewed within the broader industrial context of ADEX 2026, which underlined Azerbaijan’s increasing visibility as a defence-technology and military-industrial hub. The exhibition was held on the initiative and with the organisational support of the Ministry of Defence Industry of the Republic of Azerbaijan, with the support of the Ministry of Defence, and was organised by Caspian Event Organisers. President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva visited ADEX and Securex Caspian on the opening day, while the event brought together foreign delegations, defence manufacturers and industry representatives from numerous countries. Against this backdrop, the presentation of the HMS30 by Zireh carries significance beyond a single weapon system: it reflects Azerbaijan’s continuing effort to expand indigenous design, systems integration and defence production, while ADEX provides domestic manufacturers with a professionally organised international platform on which to demonstrate those capabilities.

The unveiling of the HMS30 at ADEX 2026 represents a noteworthy step for Zireh and further highlights Azerbaijan’s progress in developing nationally based defence technologies tailored to emerging operational requirements. With its KAMAZ-mounted configuration, twin AT30 (2A42) 30 mm cannons, 600-round ammunition capacity, stabilized fire-control architecture, automatic tracking, laser ranging and day/night observation capabilities, the system brings together the principal elements required for a mobile short-range counter-UAS solution. Its provision for future AESA radar and modular EOS integration is equally important, giving Zireh a pathway to develop the platform beyond the configuration displayed in Baku. For Army Recognition’s on-site assessment, the HMS30’s principal significance lies in this combination of mobility, high-angle kinetic firepower and modular sensor architecture, making it a system to follow as Zireh advances its development and as Azerbaijan continues to strengthen the technological depth and international profile of its national defence industry.

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Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group

Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.