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President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday hailed a milestone as components of Türkiye’s multilayered air defense system were delivered to the military, describing it as a watershed moment for the country and its defense industry.
Known as “Steel Dome,” the architecture has been in the making to provide integrated protection against low, medium and high-altitude threats through land-based and sea-based air defense platforms and sensors developed at home.
“We are today providing our army with the (Steel) Dome system, consisting of 47 vehicles worth $460 million, which will inspire confidence among allies and instill fear in adversaries,” Erdoğan told a ceremony at the Ankara facilities of defense giant Aselsan.
“Today’s deliveries are the most concrete proof that our struggle has not been in vain,” he said, calling Aselsan the “heart” of the Turkish defense industry.
The event in Ankara also saw the inauguration of work on Aselsan’s new giant technology base and the opening of new facilities.
The Steel Dome crowns years of investments that have helped Türkiye transform from a nation heavily reliant on equipment from abroad to one where homegrown systems meet almost all of its defense industry needs.
With the project, Türkiye is “entering a new league in air defense,” Erdoğan said.
In a teaser post on Monday, Aselsan called Wednesday the “big day,” showcasing its homegrown platforms.
Deliveries on Wednesday included the Hisar O 100 and Siper air defense systems, Alp 300-G and 100-G radar systems, Puhu and Redet electronic warfare systems and Korkut short-range air defense vehicles.
Announced in August last year, the Steel Dome is described by Erdoğan as a “system of systems,” integrating locally developed missile batteries, radars, electro-optical sensors, communications modules and command-and-control centers.
Largest single defense industry investment
As part of Wednesday’s program, the foundation was laid for Oğulbey Technology Base, which Erdoğan said will more than double Aselsan’s mass production capacity through a $1.5 billion investment.
That base will be the largest single defense industry investment in Türkiye’s history and Europe’s biggest integrated air defense facility, the president said.
He added that the first facility at the campus will be commissioned in the middle of next year.
“The Oğulbey Technology Base will be one of the region’s most advanced defence technology centres,” he said.
The ceremony also saw the opening of 14 new facilities, which Aselsan General Manager Ahmet Akyol said would boost the company’s capacity by 40%. They will employ about 4,000 people, Erdoğan said.
The Steel Dome has been one of the main topics in Türkiye amid geopolitical tensions, led by Israel’s ongoing genocidal military campaign in Gaza and its attacks on Iran, Lebanon and lastly Syria, as well as the war in Ukraine.
Türkiye has long said it would step up measures to protect its airspace and land borders, and has been working to build up its defenses, including long-range missiles.
In June, Erdoğan said Türkiye would raise its own defenses to such a level that “nobody will even consider” attacking it.
‘Not leaving anything to chance’
On Wednesday, he stressed that the “recent conflicts around us have revealed the importance of radar systems detecting incoming threats from the air.”
“No country that cannot develop its own radar and air defense system can look to its future with confidence in the face of current security challenges, especially in our region,” he noted.
“We are aware of the importance of not leaving anything to chance.”
Erdoğan also stated that Türkiye is making its defense industry systems available to its friends and allies, enhancing its diplomatic effectiveness.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler said the Steel Dome would “further increase the deterrence and effectiveness of our armed forces… and ensure our security at the highest level.”
For years, Ankara has voiced frustrations over its Western allies’ failure to provide adequate defense against missile threats despite Türkiye being a NATO member.
In addition to Aselsan, known for its defense electronics expertise, the Steel Dome also includes other prominent players like Roketsan, a producer of unguided rockets and guided missiles; TÜBITAK Defense Industries Research and Development Institute (SAGE); and Machine and Chemical Industry (MKE), which produces small arms, artillery and ammunition.
Türkiye’s transformation over the last 20 years has prompted the development of a range of homegrown air, land and marine platforms, eventually helping lower its foreign dependency on defense from around 80% in the early 2000s to below 20% today.
The capabilities of its defense platforms, led by its combat drones, triggered unprecedented demand, which saw its defense exports peak at $7.15 billion in 2024, up from around $5.5 billion in 2023 and $4.4 billion in 2022.
According to Erdoğan, many European countries are once again recognizing the importance of the defense industry.
“Do we have shortcomings? Yes, we do. But we are rapidly addressing them. We are on the right path, in a good position, and we will become even better. We trust our youth, our engineers, and our people,” he said.
“In the next 50 years, Türkiye will not only meet its own needs but also become a country that shapes the world with its technology.”
