Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday marked the delivery of the country’s new “Steel Dome” air defense system to its armed forces, presenting the $460 million project as a turning point for national security.
“This system will inspire confidence in our friends and fear in our enemies,” Erdogan declared at a ceremony at defense contractor Aselsan’s headquarters near Ankara. He described the project as a response to regional unrest and a milestone in Turkey’s effort to build self-sufficient defenses.
The initial phase of the program includes 47 vehicles equipped for integrated air defense. Officials have not said when the network will be fully operational, but the government describes it as a major advance that will link land- and sea-based platforms and sensors.
Erdogan compared the achievement to Israel’s Iron Dome, saying Turkey could not rely on foreign systems alone. “No country that cannot develop its own radar and air defense system can look to its future with confidence,” he said. Defense Minister Yasar Guler added that Steel Dome would “increase the deterrence and effectiveness of our armed forces.”
The president also announced a $1.5 billion technology base at Aselsan that will expand production capacity and host what he called the largest integrated air defense facility in Europe. The first stage of the campus is scheduled to open in 2026. “In the next 50 years, Turkey will be a country that not only meets its own needs but also leads with its technology,” Erdogan said.
Turkey initiated the project in August 2024, following earlier attempts to strengthen its defenses through the purchase of Russian S-400 missiles, which had triggered friction with the United States and led to its removal from the F-35 jet program. Ankara has since accelerated its push for domestic systems, citing nearby conflicts in Syria, Ukraine, and the war between Israel and Iran.
Turkey has long invested in defense self-sufficiency, a policy shaped by the US arms embargo that followed its 1974 invasion of Cyprus. Erdogan said the Steel Dome reflects that determination and will place Turkey “in a different class in terms of air defense.”