Aselsan secures $1.68B deal to expand Türkiye's Steel Dome

Turkish defense contractor Aselsan has inked a landmark agreement worth approximately €1.47 billion ($1.68 billion) with the country's Defense Industries Secretariat to ramp up serial production of air defense systems, further solidifying Türkiye's domestic military capabilities. The contract, disclosed through Türkiye's Public Disclosure Platform (KAP), builds upon existing production programs and represents a significant vote of confidence in the nation's defense-industrial base. Aselsan CEO Ahmet Akyol confirmed that the agreement would substantially enhance production capacity for Türkiye's multi-layered air defense architecture, known as the Steel Dome, while contributing to the country's strategic autonomy in critical defense technologies. "We continue to strengthen the Steel Dome," Akyol stated on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, adding, "With the support of our state, we will continue producing in high volumes and working resolutely for the security of our country."

Steel Dome architecture reaches full capability

The Steel Dome system represents Türkiye's most ambitious air defense initiative, designed as an integrated network capable of detecting, assessing, and neutralizing aerial threats across multiple altitudes and ranges. The architecture's layered approach includes systems tailored for low-altitude threats such as drone swarms and loitering munitions, complemented by HİSAR systems in the medium layer and the Siper long-range system in the upper layer. The architecture achieved full operational status following the entry of the Siper system into the Turkish Armed Forces' inventory, completing a comprehensive shield that protects Turkish airspace from diverse threat vectors. The system integrates air defense weapons, radars, electro-optical sensors, communications modules, and command-and-control centers within a unified network, creating a common air picture that transmits data to operations centers in real time.

AI-powered command and coordination

Artificial intelligence-supported systems play a central role in the Steel Dome's operational effectiveness, assisting decision-makers with rapid threat assessment and response coordination. The architecture enables seamless integration of multiple platforms, including Korkut, HİSAR-A, Goker, Gokberk, HİSAR-O, and Siper, all of which can operate collaboratively within the Steel Dome framework alongside advanced sensors capable of tracking, identifying, and classifying targets. Aselsan also supplies Hakim, Türkiye's first domestically developed upper-level air command-and-control system, which coordinates all components within the architecture. Hakim ensures that sensors, weapons, and future air defense platforms operate in a synchronized and fully integrated manner, representing a critical milestone in Türkiye's pursuit of indigenous defense technologies.

Strategic implications for Turkish defense industry

The $1.68 billion contract underscores Türkiye's accelerating push toward defense self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers while building exportable capabilities in the highly competitive global air defense market. Aselsan, already a prominent player in the global defense sector, continues to expand its portfolio of indigenous systems that rival established international offerings. The Steel Dome program, now bolstered by this substantial production agreement, positions Türkiye among a select group of nations capable of fielding a domestically developed, multi-layered integrated air defense network. With production volumes set to increase, the contract is expected to generate significant employment and technological spillover effects across Türkiye's broader industrial base, reinforcing the country's strategic posture in an increasingly uncertain regional security environment.