Turkish defense companies have signed approximately $6.5 billion in contracts to advance the production of the NATO country’s multi-layered “Steel Dome” air defense system, according to local media.
Ankara first announced the Steel Dome program in 2024, describing it as a system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome that uses artificial intelligence to sustain protection against air and missile attacks at varying ranges and altitudes.
The system integrates 47 components, ranging from radars and missiles to electro-optical sensors, command centers, and short- and long-range air defense elements.
Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries Chairman Haluk Görgün said the recent contracts cover both combat systems already in use and their upgraded versions, to be manufactured by state-owned companies Roketsan and Aselsan in partnership with other local businesses.
Görgün emphasized that the Steel Dome would rely entirely on domestic technology.
Since its conceptualization, Turkey has underscored the Steel Dome’s strategic importance amid regional tensions, including Israeli military operations in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, as well as the almost four-year conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The initiative reflects President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s goal to bolster the country’s defenses to a level “nobody will even consider” attacking.
Alongside Aselsan and Roketsan, the Steel Dome program involves major domestic players, including TÜBITAK SAGE and the Machine and Chemical Industry.
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Before its latest investment, Turkey received multiple components valued at $460 million earlier this year, including 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.
According to sources, these collective projects reflect Ankara’s broader effort to reduce dependence on foreign defense suppliers, from roughly 80 percent in the early 2000s to under 20 percent today, and expand its global defense footprint.
The nation’s defense exports, driven by combat drones, reached $7.15 billion in 2024, up from $5.5 billion in 2023, with officials projecting more than $8 billion in 2025.
