Evaluated screen

Heavy Weapons and Artillery Systems

Identifies companies and other entities that develop, manufacture, assemble, materially modernize, integrate, or sell complete non-portable military gun, cannon, mortar, recoilless, or artillery weapon systems designed or materially modified for direct or indirect fire. This includes towed, self-propelled, fixed, naval, armoured-vehicle, and other platform-mounted guns or artillery systems; field guns, howitzers, cannon, gun-based anti-aircraft or anti-armour systems, heavy mortars, and complete turrets or weapon stations built around a qualifying gun system. Crew-portable small arms and light weapons, complete missiles or rockets and their launch systems, ammunition and projectiles, and separately supplied components or subsystems are classified under their respective evaluative screens.

Type
Evaluated
Version
2026.08.21.2
Published
Aug 21, 2026
Inclusions
4
Exclusions
6
How to read this definition

Inclusion criteria describe evidence that can establish this activity. Exclusion criteria identify circumstances that do not establish it on that basis alone. The evaluation remains connected to its taxonomy version and supporting evidence.

Can establish this activity

Included when supported

Evidence may support involvement when it matches one or more of these inclusion criteria.

4 criteria
  1. 01Criterion

    Complete Military Artillery and Gun Systems

    Defined as: Companies that design, manufacture, or assemble complete military field guns, howitzers, cannon, gun-based anti-aircraft or anti-armour systems, or comparable direct-fire or indirect-fire weapon systems that are not normally carried and fired in operational configuration by an individual or small crew without a vehicle, carriage, fixed mount, or comparable platform.

  2. 02Criterion

    Complete Tank, Naval, Aircraft, and Platform-Mounted Gun Systems

    Defined as: Companies that design, manufacture, or assemble complete tank guns, naval guns, aircraft guns, heavy remote or crewed weapon stations, or other platform-mounted gun systems, including complete operational turrets built around a qualifying gun where the entity is responsible for the integrated weapon system rather than only a structure, mount, or component.

  3. 03Criterion

    Heavy Mortar and Non-Portable Recoilless Systems

    Defined as: Companies that design, manufacture, or assemble complete mortars, recoilless weapons, or comparable crew-served systems that ordinarily require vehicle carriage, towing, a fixed or platform mount, or another non-portable deployment arrangement. Crew-portable mortars, recoilless rifles, and comparable light weapons are assessed under Small Arms and Light Weapons.

  4. 04Criterion

    Complete-System Development, Modernization, Integration, and Supply

    Defined as: Companies that perform product-specific development, material modernization, complete-system integration, sale, export, or supply of an identified qualifying heavy weapon or artillery system, where evidence establishes responsibility for the complete operational weapon system.

Does not establish this activity on its own

Excluded on this basis alone

These circumstances do not establish this activity unless separate evidence also meets an inclusion criterion.

6 criteria
  1. 01Criterion

    Historical-Only Heavy Weapons Involvement

    Defined as: Entities with verified past development, production, assembly, integration, sale, export, or supply of heavy weapons or artillery systems, where reliable evidence establishes that the qualifying activity has fully ceased, been divested, transferred, dismantled, terminated, or otherwise ended and no current qualifying involvement remains. Historical-only activity does not qualify as current involvement. Preserve the historical record separately with the activity period, effective cessation or transfer date, relevant entity, product, programme, facility, or contract, and supporting evidence. Absence of recent evidence alone is not sufficient to establish cessation.

  2. 02Criterion

    Small Arms and Crew-Portable Light Weapons

    Defined as: Companies whose identified products are limited to small arms, machine guns, grenade launchers, rocket-propelled grenade systems, portable missile launchers, recoilless rifles, light mortars, or comparable weapons that are normally carried and fired by an individual or small crew. These activities are assessed under Small Arms and Light Weapons or Missiles, Rockets, Torpedoes and Launch Systems, as applicable.

  3. 03Criterion

    Ammunition and Projectiles Without Complete Gun Systems

    Defined as: Companies that manufacture or sell only shells, projectiles, propellant charges, mortar rounds, or other ammunition without a complete heavy-weapon or artillery-system role. These activities are assessed under Conventional Ammunition, Bombs and Explosive Munitions.

  4. 04Criterion

    Complete Combat Platforms Without Separate Gun-System Responsibility

    Defined as: Companies that manufacture tanks, armoured vehicles, aircraft, or naval vessels but do not separately develop, manufacture, materially modernize, or perform complete-system integration of the qualifying gun, turret, mortar, or artillery weapon system. Installation of a purchased weapon as an ordinary platform integration task does not by itself establish a complete heavy-weapon role.

  5. 05Criterion

    Components and Subsystems Without Complete Heavy-Weapon Responsibility

    Defined as: Companies that supply only barrels, receivers, breech or recoil systems, unarmed turret structures, mounts, autoloaders, fire-control equipment, or other parts or subsystems without responsibility for a complete operational heavy weapon or artillery system. Qualifying dedicated products are assessed under Military Weapons Components and Subsystems.

  6. 06Criterion

    Civilian, Heritage, Training-Only, and Unverified Products

    Defined as: Companies whose identified products are limited to civilian industrial equipment, avalanche-control guns, ceremonial or museum weapons, permanently deactivated systems, replicas, inert training devices, or broad programme references that do not establish an exact operational military heavy-weapon deliverable and entity role.

Evidence and evaluation methodology

How sources, entity pathways, decisions, qualifiers, and review history are handled.

Map screens to a client policy

How to choose provider screens, document coverage, and decide what happens after an outcome.

Other screens under Military Weapons, Munitions and Combat Platforms