GIJÓN, Spain — General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) and Santa Bárbara Sistemas have unveiled the ASCOD 42 demonstrator fitted with Valhalla Turrets’ MANGART 30 remote-controlled turret at the FIDMA 2026 international trade fair in Gijón, Spain.
The vehicle was displayed in cooperation with the Asturias Military Museum. The configuration combines the tracked ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle platform with a 30 mm turret designed for multiple missions, including counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) operations.
MANGART 30 turret
The MANGART 30 is a remotely operated turret that allows the crew to control the weapon system from inside the protected hull. The turret is armed with a Northrop Grumman MK44S Bushmaster 30 mm automatic cannon capable of firing standard 30×173 mm ammunition and air-burst rounds.
It also carries a coaxial FN MAG 7.62 mm machine gun. Valhalla Turrets has designed the system with an open architecture, allowing different sensors, effectors and mission equipment to be integrated according to operational requirements.
The turret incorporates a computer-based fire-control system, automatic target tracking, day and thermal imaging sensors and a laser rangefinder. Its elevation range extends from -10 to +70 degrees, while the turret provides 360-degree traverse.
The combination of automatic tracking, electro-optical sensors and air-burst ammunition gives the MANGART 30 capabilities relevant to engaging a range of ground and aerial targets, including unmanned aircraft.
ASCOD 42 configuration
The ASCOD 42 belongs to GDELS' ASCOD family of tracked armored vehicles. The platform has been supplied in different configurations to several armed forces.
Spain operates the ASCOD-based Pizarro infantry fighting vehicle, while the United Kingdom uses a heavily modified ASCOD variant for its Ajax reconnaissance vehicle programme.
The demonstrator displayed at FIDMA uses composite rubber tracks instead of conventional steel tracks. The lighter track solution is intended to reduce noise, vibration and wear on paved surfaces while maintaining traction for off-road operations.
Safran PASEO Master sight
The ASCOD 42 is also equipped with Safran's PASEO Master commander’s sight. The panoramic sight provides the commander with an independent observation capability and a 360-degree view around the vehicle.
The PASEO family is used on armored vehicles for day-and-night observation and targeting. Safran has stated that more than 2,500 systems from the family have been sold worldwide.
The independent commander’s sight allows the commander to search for and identify targets separately from the gunner's line of sight.
Valhalla's counter-drone focus
Valhalla Turrets, founded in 2019 and based in Komenda, Slovenia, develops remotely controlled weapon systems with a particular focus on air-defense and counter-drone applications.
The company previously developed the MANGART 25, a smaller turret that combines a 25 mm automatic cannon with radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors. The MANGART 30 represents a larger turret configuration intended for integration on both wheeled and tracked armored vehicles.
Valhalla has emphasized the importance of an open architecture for adapting the turret to changing battlefield requirements, including C-UAS missions.
The company has also demonstrated the MANGART family on wheeled platforms. Earlier in 2026, the MANGART 25 was tested on a Pandur 6×6 vehicle during live-fire activities in Slovenia involving Valhalla, GDELS-Steyr and the Slovenian Armed Forces.
Relevance to future vehicle requirements
The ASCOD 42 demonstration brings together GDELS' tracked vehicle platform and a Slovenian-developed remote-controlled turret in a single configuration. It gives potential customers an option combining a tracked armored vehicle, a 30 mm automatic cannon, independent panoramic observation and capabilities aimed at modern aerial and ground threats.
The display does not confirm a Slovenian procurement decision for the ASCOD 42. No official contract for such a purchase has been announced in the information provided.
The presentation at FIDMA 2026 instead demonstrates the integration of the MANGART 30 with the ASCOD platform and highlights the companies' approach of combining modular vehicle and turret systems for changing battlefield requirements.
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