Türkiye calls it the Steel Dome (Çelik Kubbe). The name isn't metaphorical.

On August 6, 2024, Turkish defence electronics company ASELSAN unveiled Steel Dome, a state-of-the-art air defence system that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described as "a turning point in Türkiye's air defence capabilities".

Built without foreign blueprints, this homegrown system is designed to track and destroy all manner of external military and other threats – from remote-controlled stealth drones to ballistic missiles travelling faster than sound.

Steel Dome is more than military hardware. In some ways, it is also a declaration of intent by a country that once had to queue up for foreign defence systems. Türkiye, already among the world's top producers of unmanned combat aerial vehicles, now manufactures its own equipment and supplies them across three continents.

Developed by ASELSAN in partnership with Roketsan and TÜBİTAK SAGE, the Steel Dome system is an amalgam of sensors, command and control units, electronic warfare equipment, and weapon systems within a single AI-driven platform.

The idea is to provide multi-layered protection across Türkiye's airspace, coordinating responses to air and missile threats as they develop.

More than a shield

The system runs on a military-grade 5G communication network designed to remain secure during cyberattacks or electronic warfare. Its sensor network includes long-range radars from the ALP family, capable of detecting threats up to 650km away, supported by electro-optical systems and electronic support units that maintain constant surveillance.

ASELSAN's HAKİM command and control solution links every radar, launcher and electronic warfare component, allowing immediate threat evaluation and coordinated responses.

The system integrates indigenously built weapons like KORKUT, ŞAHİN, HİSAR and SİPER to create a bulwark against threats ranging from low-altitude drones to long-range ballistic missiles.

What sets Steel Dome apart is that it uses an open architecture, enabling the addition of new technologies without wholesale redesign. AI processes sensor data in real time, shifting the system from reactive responses towards predictive defence.

The best part is that the AI-integrated defence platform learns and adapts over time. Electronic warfare capabilities are built into the fire-control loop, creating what developers describe as an efficient "kill chain" able to respond to complex threats such as drone swarms.

Global defence player

The International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul from July 22 to 27 this year was a showcase for a variety of complementary technologies, including ASELSAN's KORAL 200 mobile electronic warfare system, the EJDERHA high-power counter-drone system, and the T-LINK tactical data link family.

In August, coinciding with ASELSAN's 50th anniversary, the company delivered 47 critical components worth US $460 million to the Turkish Armed Forces.

The equipment chain included the SİPER, HİSAR, KORKUT, ALP, and PUHU systems that are a part of Türkiye's constantly evolving network-centric defence technology.

President Erdoğan and senior officials of his administration attended the official handover ceremony.

Strategic independence

The advent of Steel Dome signals a shift in Türkiye's defence strategy towards self-sufficiency, and away from fragmented systems towards integrated ecosystems.

As an intelligent, adaptive and future-ready platform, it also reflects Türkiye's commitment to maintaining air sovereignty through indigenous technology designed to evolve, and automatically detect and tackle newer threats.

ASELSAN's defence projects have drawn praise in the US, Europe and the Middle East, including Qatar, Lebanon, and the UAE. Türkiye's expanding defence partnerships across Africa have further enhanced the company's international standing and helped increase its circle of operation.

African military cooperation

Defence agreements with Cameroon were ratified in April 2021, followed by a Defence Industry Cooperation Agreement with Nigeria in October 2021 during President Erdoğan's visit to that country.

Several African countries – Nigeria, Niger and Chad, to name a few – have purchased UAVs, assault helicopters, trainer aircraft, and guided missiles from Türkiye. These exports play a key role in bolstering the continent's security and counter-terrorism objectives.

Experts believe Steel Dome's adaptiveness high-performance air defence network will reinforce Türkiye's position as a defence power capable of supplying to the world.

As the system moves towards international markets, Türkiye's technological independence and strategic capabilities in modern warfare can only grow.