KMW IWS35 Remote Turret

KMW's 35mm Remote Turret

IWS 35

KMW has an ongoing development for a Remote Turret. The turret is called IWS35.

IWS35 is armed with a 35mm Bushmaster II Autocannon and a .50cal (12.7mm) Bushmaster Heavy Machine Gun. Both weapons are products of ATK.

Instead of a traditional use of a 7.62mm machine gun; the selection of a .50cal chaingun  as a coaxial gun is quite interesting. This leads me thinking that the concept of operation for this turret is based on frequent use of the 12.7mm machine gun. The lethality of the 12.7mm gun is way higher than a 7.62mm gun, thus unless the utmost power of the 25mm cannon is not needed, the operator will rely on the .50cal. machine gun.

The turret is made of welded aluminum. It has electric drives for traverse and elevation and also dual axis stabilized sights for gunner and commander.

The sights seemed to me the same units used in the German Puma IFV's turret as shown below. As far as I remember these are from German company Carl Zeiss. Both sights have day TV and thermal imagers along with laser range finders.

 

Sights in Spz Puma Turret

 

Sights in IWS35

  The weapons in IWS35 turret has different elevation limits. The .50cal chaingun can elevate up to 65 degrees; whereas the 35mm cannon can elevate up to 35 degrees. The turret drives are developed by Moog.

The ammunition for the main gun, 35mm Bushmaster III is fed from a linkless magazine developed by Meggitt. I could not find any information whether the main gun ammunition can be replenished from inside the vehicle or not. The ammunition capacity for the main gun, which is also very important, remains to be seen.

The ammunition for the .50cal machinegun is fed from an ammo can located on the left side of the gun. It seems it can only be replenished from outside.

The IWS35 remote turret seems to be an interesting addition to the remote turrets market with an important distinction of fire power: the Bushmaster III 35mm.