BARKAN is a Medium Class Level 1 unmanned ground vehicle from HAVELSAN that joined the Turkish Armed Forces in 2023 and is now in series production. According to project data released by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) in September 2026, three BARKAN V2 vehicles have been accepted under the B-OİKA1 series production project, two BARKAN V3s are being built and a contract amendment adds five more.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Builder | HAVELSAN |
| User | Turkish Land Forces Command |
| Program | SSB BARKAN Medium Class Level 1 UGV Series Production (B-OİKA1) |
| Status | 3 V2 accepted, 2 V3 in production, 5 more added by amendment |
| Weight | 1,000 kg (SSB) |
| Timeline | Unveiled February 2021; in service 2023; series production decision May 2025 |
What is the BARKAN?
BARKAN is the ground element of HAVELSAN's Digital Troops concept, in which unmanned ground and air vehicles work under a shared command and control network. SSB's requirement is a medium robot that reduces soldiers' exposure to danger while providing reconnaissance and fire support. Mission kits include a remote weapon station, radar, perimeter surveillance, a cargo basket and a stretcher module for casualty evacuation.
Anadolu Agency reported that since 2023 the vehicle has been used in the field, received multiple payload integrations and produced results in real operational areas, with that feedback shaping each new version.
Key features
The family has grown steadily. The 2021 prototype weighed about 500 kg with a 7.62 mm gun, BARKAN II roughly doubled that and was tested with a 12.7 mm weapon, and BARKAN 3 weighs one tonne. HAVELSAN gives BARKAN 3 dimensions of 2.7 m by 1.5 m, a 250 kg payload, a top speed of 25 km/h, five hours of endurance at full load and a 35 cm obstacle capability.
Its autonomy features include 360-degree sensing, autonomous return and the management of UAVs, and perimeter surveillance coverage is four times wider than before, with radar fused with electro-optics. Operators use a common remote control unit built by Esetron. HAVELSAN stresses that detection and identification can be autonomous, while the decision to fire always stays with the operator at the ground control station.
Program, service and exports
HAVELSAN is the prime contractor, with Tekatron, SİO Havacılık, Hitit Savunma, Esetron, Asisguard and Repkon listed among subcontractors in the 2023 service-entry announcement. BARKAN was unveiled in late February 2021 and competed that year in SSB's Level 1 contest against ASELSAN's ASLAN, Best Group's FEDAİ and Elektroland's HANÇER. The Land Forces Command has operated it since 2023, and HAVELSAN hopes to sign a dedicated BARKAN 3 series contract soon. Breaking Defense reports that mixed swarm trials begin with eight vehicles, and that joint swarming with HAVELSAN's BAHA and BOZBEY drones is due in 2026.
No export contract has been announced. HAVELSAN says it coordinates export efforts with SSB and is targeting the Gulf, the Middle East, North Africa and Europe, including a planned office in Saudi Arabia.
BARKAN compares with Milrem's THeMIS, IAI's REX MKII and the US Army's light Robotic Combat Vehicle work. Its differentiator is the pairing of a weapon turret and radar on one chassis, with air-ground swarming built into the roadmap from the start.
Source: Envanter Medya