Belgium’s John Cockerill Highlights National Capability to Develop and Produce Defense Products.

Belgian company John Cockerill Defense is presenting a wide range of land warfare technologies at BEDEX 2026 in Brussels, including modular turrets, counter-drone systems, robotic combat platforms, and armored vehicle upgrade solutions. The portfolio demonstrates how modern turret architecture, unmanned systems, and digital fire control technologies can enhance firepower, survivability, and operational flexibility for ground forces facing increasingly complex battlefield threats.

At BEDEX 2026, John Cockerill Defense is showcasing a broad range of advanced land warfare technologies, highlighting Belgium’s growing role in modular armored combat solutions. The display includes modular turret systems, counter-drone defenses, robotic combat platforms, and upgrade packages for legacy armored vehicles. These systems emphasize integrating digital fire control, remote weapon stations, and unmanned platforms to enhance battlefield lethality and survivability. Company officials say the technologies are designed to help militaries modernize existing fleets while maintaining operational flexibility. The presentation reflects rising demand for adaptable land combat systems capable of countering drones and hybrid threats, while also underscoring Belgium’s expanding contribution to NATO land warfare technology development.
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John Cockerill Defense displays a portfolio of modular turret systems, counter-drone solutions, robotic platforms, and armored vehicle upgrades at BEDEX 2026 in Brussels, highlighting Belgium’s growing role in advanced land combat technologies. (Picture source: Army Recognition Group)

One of the most notable innovations at the exhibition is a robotic counter-drone platform combining the Arquus Drailer unmanned ground vehicle with the Hornet Air Guard remote weapon station. John Cockerill Defense unveiled a configuration integrating the Hornet Air Guard turret onto the Drailer robotic platform, effectively creating an unmanned mobile air defense node. The system is designed to detect, track, and engage small unmanned aerial systems while keeping personnel out of direct danger.

The Arquus Drailer is a compact unmanned ground vehicle designed for reconnaissance, logistics support, and force protection missions. When equipped with the Hornet Air Guard system, the platform gains dedicated anti-air and counter-UAS capabilities. The unmanned vehicle can patrol forward positions or protect critical infrastructure while maintaining a low risk profile for deployed personnel. The system combines electro-optical targeting sensors with stabilized weapon systems capable of engaging low-altitude aerial threats such as quadcopters, loitering munitions, and reconnaissance drones.

Depending on configuration, the Hornet Air Guard system weighs less than 465 kg, including the machine gun, ammunition, radar components, and smoke grenade launchers. The system maintains a compact profile with a height below 931 mm. This lightweight architecture allows the turret to be integrated onto small unmanned vehicles without significantly affecting mobility or endurance. The combination of a compact weapon station and a robotic ground platform creates a distributed air defense asset capable of operating ahead of manned units or protecting sensitive areas without exposing soldiers to hostile fire.

Alongside robotic systems, John Cockerill Defense is also highlighting a modernization concept designed to transform aging Leopard 1 and M60 main battle tanks into modern direct-fire support platforms. The proposal replaces the legacy turrets of these Cold War-era armored vehicles with the Cockerill 3105 modular turret, significantly improving combat performance while reducing weight and crew workload.

The Cockerill 3105 turret integrates a stabilized 105 mm high-pressure cannon, an automatic loader, and a digital fire control system. This architecture allows the vehicle to operate with a reduced crew while maintaining a high rate of fire and faster engagement cycles. Advanced electro-optical sights and thermal imaging systems enable accurate target acquisition and engagement both from stationary positions and while moving. The system also supports hunter-killer operations, allowing the commander to independently designate targets while the gunner engages another threat.

Such modernization programs provide a cost-effective option for countries operating older armored vehicles that cannot afford to replace them with modern main battle tanks. By integrating modern turrets and digital targeting systems onto existing hulls, these platforms can be repurposed as highly capable mobile fire support vehicles capable of engaging armored threats and fortified positions with precision 105 mm firepower.

Another system highlighted at BEDEX 2026 is the Cockerill Compact Lightweight Weapon Station (CLWS), a compact combat module designed to significantly enhance the firepower of light armored vehicles. The CLWS is armed with a stabilized 25 mm automatic cannon, providing substantially greater lethality than traditional remote weapon stations, which typically mount heavy machine guns. The turret can also be equipped with Thales 70 mm guided rockets, adding a precision strike capability against armored vehicles, fortified positions, and low-flying aerial threats.

The CLWS sits between heavy machine gun remote weapon stations and larger infantry fighting vehicle turrets. It allows 4×4 to 8×8 armored vehicles to gain true medium caliber firepower without the structural weight or internal space requirements associated with larger turret systems. The integration of guided rockets further expands the system's combat role, enabling light armored vehicles to engage targets at greater distances while maintaining high mobility.

The system enables reconnaissance vehicles, armored personnel carriers, and internal security vehicles to engage light armored targets, field fortifications, and aerial threats while crews remain protected under armor. Because the CLWS is remotely operated, vehicle crews remain inside the protected hull during combat operations. Integrated electro-optical sights and digital fire control systems allow accurate firing while the vehicle is moving, enabling reconnaissance units and rapid response forces to maintain mobility while engaging threats.

John Cockerill Defense is also displaying the i-X high-speed combat vehicle, a radical platform designed to prioritize extreme mobility and rapid strike capability. The i-X combines lightweight armored protection with exceptional acceleration and maneuverability, enabling reconnaissance units or special operations forces to conduct rapid attack or infiltration missions where speed and agility can provide a decisive tactical advantage.

The vehicle’s architecture allows integration of the company’s modular turret family, enabling the platform to carry medium caliber weapon systems while maintaining a highly mobile operational profile. This configuration makes the vehicle suitable for urban environments and rapid intervention operations.

In addition to hardware platforms, John Cockerill Defense is presenting advanced training technologies designed to support the operational readiness of modern armored forces. These solutions combine digital simulation environments, immersive training tools, and embedded instruction systems, allowing crews to train on weapons, tactics, and combat scenarios while reducing reliance on costly live exercises.

The systems presented at BEDEX 2026 demonstrate how the Belgian defense industry is expanding its position in the global land systems market by delivering modular combat solutions that integrate turret technology, unmanned platforms, counter-drone defenses, and modernization packages. As armed forces worldwide seek affordable ways to strengthen combat power and address emerging threats such as drones and distributed warfare, these technologies highlight the growing importance of modular firepower and robotic systems in shaping the future of ground combat operations.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.