Cockerill Unveils 1030 Turret with Hornet RCWS for Counter-Drone Defense at DIMDEX 2026.

At DIMDEX 2026 in Doha, John Cockerill Defense unveiled a Cockerill 1030 unmanned turret paired with the Hornet remote weapon station, showcasing a layered gun-based answer to drones, light armor, and close threats.

Army Recognition is reporting live from DIMDEX 2026 in Doha, Qatar, where John Cockerill Defense is presenting a Cockerill 1030 unmanned turret combined with the Hornet remote controlled weapon station in a configuration clearly tailored for Qatari and broader Gulf force requirements. Rather than highlighting a single weapon, the display emphasizes the operational value of fusing two independently aimed layers of firepower on one platform, with the export pitch centered on countering drones and fast, close range threats while retaining medium caliber overmatch. Hosted by the Qatar Armed Forces from 19 to 22 January at the Qatar National Convention Centre, DIMDEX 2026 once again confirms its role as a regional marketplace for high end land and naval combat solutions aligned with Gulf security priorities.
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Cockerill 1030 unmanned turret paired with the Hornet RCWS combines a 30 mm medium-caliber cannon and an independent close-defense weapon to deliver layered firepower against light armor, infantry, and drones, offering high-angle engagement, advanced day-night sensors, and full remote operation tailored for Gulf operational environments (Picture source: Cockerill).

At its core, the Cockerill 1030 is a compact, low-profile, remotely operated turret designed for the 30x173 mm class and built to fit mobility-constrained 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles, including amphibious candidates where weight and center of gravity become crucial factors. John Cockerill Defense emphasizes modularity and an open architecture digital backbone, aiming to keep the turret future-proof for sensors, effectors, and vehicle electronics that differ from one customer to the next. The company also positions the 1030 as a lighter, more affordable derivative of its experience base, citing more than 600 30 mm turrets in service.

The 1030’s armament starts with the 30 mm cannon installation, typically associated in the market with the Northrop Grumman Mk44 family because of its growth path and widespread Western adoption, and it is paired with a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun to preserve 30 mm for targets that warrant it. A dual feed arrangement enables rapid switching between ammunition types, the practical requirement for Gulf scenarios where crews may need armor piercing rounds for light armored vehicles, high explosive for exposed infantry and field works, and programmable airburst for small UAVs or rooftop positions. Northrop’s documentation highlights the 30x173 mm weapon family’s ability to grow toward 40 mm Super Forty, and John Cockerill’s own messaging around the 1030 stresses multi-mission modularity rather than locking customers into a single gun roadmap.

Where the 1030 differentiates for Gulf buyers is the integration and engagement envelope around the gun. The company specifies an elevation range of -10 to +70 degrees, explicitly framed for UAV engagement, while keeping under armor reloading as a design feature that matters in high heat, high dust environments, where exposing crew on the roof is both risky and operationally costly. The turret’s sight suite is described with a stabilized 360-degree commander panoramic sight and a gunner sight combining TV, thermal imaging, and laser rangefinder, with published day camera and thermal detection, recognition, and identification ranges that push the system into true standoff observation rather than purely close fight optics. Ballistic protection is advertised up to STANAG 4569 Level 4, depending on configuration, and the options list is frank about the end user’s menu:turret-launched anti-tank systems, guided rockets, laser warning, active protection, and smoke grenade launchers.

The Hornet station on top is a second, independent weapon that can stay on a close threat while the main turret holds a different sector, or it can be handed to a commander for rapid engagement without disturbing the gunner’s track. Arquus has described Hornet as a lightweight system with only about 220 kg above the roof when configured with a 12.7 mm M2HB and 300 rounds, and as qualified with 12.7 mm, 7.62 mm MAG58, and 40 mm grenade launcher options. Hornet documentation also describes stabilized operation with an independent line of sight, continuous traverse with a cited 90 degrees per second class speed, and an elevation window suited to urban angles and low flying drones. Reporting on the Hornet family details day and night detection, recognition, and identification ranges, and outlines growth variants such as integration with MBDA’s Akeron MP missile and a counter-UAS concept using a 40 mm grenade launcher with airburst ammunition.

The combined stack offers a mechanized unit a practical playbook: the 30 mm handles light armor, technicals, fighting positions, and precision fire support at ranges where heavy machine guns stop being reliable, while the Hornet layer covers the knife fight, high-angle engagements, and rapid cueing against fleeting targets. Tactically, that means fewer compromises when operating in dispersed security missions, convoy protection, coastal approaches, and base defense, all missions Qatar runs in parallel. It also matches the regional reality that the cheapest threat often arrives from above, and that defeating it with a missile every time is not a sustainable cost exchange.

For Doha, the strategic rationale is hard-edged. Qatar has been publicly leaning into counter-UAS investment, with the Qatar-United States strategic dialogue noting a further $1 billion agreement with Raytheon tied to counter-drone capabilities, and broader bilateral emphasis on countering unmanned aerial systems. At the same time, U.S. reporting points to deeper regional air and missile defense integration centered in Qatar, while Gulf-focused analysis continues to underline Iran’s coercive messaging toward states hosting U.S. assets. In that context, a mobile, exportable gun-based solution that can ride with maneuver forces and protect critical nodes adds a missing layer between national-level air defense and the soldier’s rifle, exactly the seam adversaries try to exploit.

Written by Evan Lerouvillois, Defense Analyst.

Evan studied International Relations, and quickly specialized in defense and security. He is particularly interested in the influence of the defense sector on global geopolitics, and analyzes how technological innovations in defense, arms export contracts, and military strategies influence the international geopolitical scene.