ASELSAN, one of Türkiye’s leading defence technology companies, has unveiled its strategic vision for a next-generation integrated air defence ecosystem under the project name “Steel Dome.” The announcement was made by ASELSAN CEO Prof. Dr. Ahmet Akyol during a high-profile media briefing, underscoring the company’s intent to establish Türkiye as a dominant power in advanced air defence architectures.
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(Source: GDH Digital)
Integrated Defence Architecture for a Complex Threat Landscape
The Steel Dome initiative is designed to offer layered protection across Türkiye’s airspace, combining long-range radar surveillance, sensor fusion, electronic warfare capabilities, and interceptors in a modular and interoperable ecosystem. Prof. Akyol emphasized that the system is inspired by combat-proven models yet tailored to Türkiye’s unique geographic and strategic threat perception.
Building upon existing assets such as the HİSAR-A, HİSAR-O, and the long-range SİPER systems, ASELSAN’s Steel Dome aims to integrate next-generation detection, tracking, and neutralization layers that can dynamically respond to evolving aerial threats — including UAV swarms, cruise missiles, and ballistic targets.
Technological Leap Through Domestic Innovation
At the heart of Steel Dome lies ASELSAN’s indigenous radar and sensor technologies, many of which have been developed in coordination with TÜBİTAK SAGE and other defence institutions. The system also incorporates AI-based threat classification, real-time sensor networking, and hypersonic tracking algorithms — indicating a strategic leap from traditional air defence models.
A Regional Air Defence Hub in the Making
The Steel Dome concept reinforces Türkiye’s ambition to become a regional hub for air and missile defence technologies. With export interest from friendly nations and regional partners, ASELSAN’s modular approach also opens the door to co-development and licensed production models — akin to global platforms like Iron Dome or THAAD.
This project aligns with Türkiye’s broader Milli Teknoloji Hamlesi and supports strategic doctrines outlined by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB). With over 1,300 member companies in SAHA Istanbul and a growing global defence footprint, ASELSAN’s roadmap is expected to catalyze significant downstream innovation across radar, guidance, and countermeasure domains.
Strategic Implications and Export Potential
Experts note that the integration of multi-layered, AI-enhanced systems will drastically improve Türkiye’s response time to saturation attacks and complex threat environments. The Steel Dome is expected to be a game-changer not only for homeland defence but also in terms of defence diplomacy — strengthening Türkiye’s role as a supplier of advanced, export-ready air defence solutions.
As geopolitical tensions and drone-based warfare escalate globally, ASELSAN’s proactive move signals that Türkiye intends not only to protect its skies but to shape the air defence doctrines of tomorrow.