Türkiye’s MKE URAN 105 mm System Delivers a Mobile Firepower Solution for NATO Distributed Operations.

MKE unveiled its 105 mm URAN vehicle-mounted weapon system at SAHA Expo 2026 in Istanbul on 5 May 2026, turning BORAN howitzer firepower into a faster 4x4 artillery platform for modern mobile forces. Mounted on the KİA Light Tactical Vehicle, URAN is designed to help units move, fire, and relocate before drones, radars, or counter-battery systems can fix their position.

The system pairs a 105 mm gun with an MKE fire control system, delivering up to 12 rounds per minute against targets out to 18 km. Its speed and lighter footprint make it relevant for NATO rapid reaction forces, border defense, mountain warfare, island defense, and dispersed fire-support missions where mobility and survivability matter more than heavy-caliber firepower.

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MKE has unveiled the URAN 105 mm vehicle-mounted howitzer, integrating BORAN firepower onto a high-mobility KLTV 4x4 to deliver rapid, shoot-and-scoot artillery support for modern dispersed operations (Picture Source: Army Recognition)

MKE unveiled on 5 May 2026, the 105 mm URAN vehicle-mounted weapon system at SAHA Expo 2026 in Istanbul, Türkiye. Developed by transferring the engineering know-how and operational experience of the BORAN howitzer onto a mobile 4x4 platform, URAN marks a new step in Türkiye’s artillery modernization. Integrated on the KİA Light Tactical Vehicle, the system is designed to give land forces faster movement, rapid fire support, and improved survivability in modern high-tempo operations.

URAN is presented as the vehicle-mounted evolution of BORAN, Türkiye’s 105 mm lightweight howitzer that entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces and later achieved export success, including delivery to Bangladesh in 2024 as the first howitzer export in the history of the Republic of Türkiye. This background gives URAN more than a prototype identity: it is built from a proven artillery baseline already validated through national service and export demand. By placing BORAN’s firepower on a tactical vehicle, MKE is addressing one of the main requirements of contemporary artillery: the ability to move, fire, and relocate before enemy counter-battery systems can react.

The system combines a 105 mm weapon with an advanced MKE-developed fire control system, enabling a rate of fire of up to 12 rounds per minute and effective engagement of targets at distances of up to 18 km. Its integration on a KLTV 4x4 platform gives the system high road mobility, with the vehicle described as offering strong off-road performance and a maximum speed of 130 km/h. This mobility changes the role of the 105 mm gun from a mainly towed fire-support asset into a fast-reacting mobile weapon suitable for dispersed units, border areas, expeditionary deployments, and rapid reinforcement missions.

Compared with traditional towed 105 mm howitzers, URAN reduces the time needed to enter and leave a firing position, while compared with heavier 155 mm self-propelled artillery, it offers a lighter, more flexible and potentially more affordable solution for missions where speed, deployability and terrain access are more important than maximum range or shell weight. This makes it particularly relevant for mountain warfare, rapid reaction forces, airborne or airmobile support concepts, internal security operations, island defense scenarios, and mobile fire support for light mechanized units. In the “shoot-and-scoot” environment of modern warfare, where drones, radars and precision weapons compress the time available to survive after firing, URAN’s value lies in its ability to deliver artillery effects without remaining exposed.

For Türkiye, URAN reflects the growing maturity of its defense industrial base. The system connects a Turkish artillery product with an internationally recognized light tactical vehicle platform, showing how MKE can turn national battlefield experience and export success into new mobile solutions. It also strengthens Türkiye’s position in the global market for lighter self-propelled artillery, a segment increasingly relevant for countries seeking mobile firepower without the cost, weight and logistical burden of heavy tracked systems.

For NATO and U.S.-aligned forces, URAN could offer a practical answer to a growing operational gap. Many allied armies are rebuilding artillery capacity while also seeking lighter, more mobile systems that can operate across Europe’s eastern flank, the Black Sea region, mountainous terrain, and dispersed expeditionary environments. A 105 mm system mounted on a fast 4x4 vehicle could support allied rapid reaction formations, reinforce forward defense, and provide mobile fires where heavier platforms are difficult to deploy. As Türkiye remains one of NATO’s most important land powers, URAN also demonstrates how Turkish industry can contribute not only national capabilities but also practical solutions for allied mobility, deterrence, and distributed fire support.

With URAN, MKE has transformed the combat logic of BORAN from a lightweight towed howitzer into a fast, mobile and responsive artillery system mounted on the KLTV. Its debut at SAHA Expo 2026 underlines Türkiye’s ability to convert proven national systems into exportable and alliance-relevant capabilities. In a security environment shaped by drones, counter-battery threats and the return of high-intensity land warfare, URAN sends a clear message: Turkish artillery is moving faster, adapting faster, and offering NATO a mobile fire-support option built for the realities of the modern battlefield.

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.