Turkey Signs $6.5 Billion in New Contracts to Advance Its “Steel Dome” Air Defense Shield

In a major step toward building one of the world’s most comprehensive national air-defense networks, Turkey’s Defence Industries Presidency (SSB) has announced the signing of $6.5 billion worth of contracts with leading domestic defense companies to expand and enhance the country’s ambitious “Steel Dome” air-defense system. The announcement marks the largest single investment to date in Turkey’s integrated air-defense architecture.

The “Steel Dome,” first unveiled in July 2024, is Turkey’s equivalent to Israel’s Iron Dome, designed as a multi-layered, fully indigenous shield capable of intercepting a wide spectrum of aerial threats — from rockets and drones to cruise missiles and aircraft. According to SSB, the project encompasses 47 core components, including radar systems, interceptor missiles, command-and-control networks, electro-optical tracking systems, and layered air-defense weapons with short-, medium-, and long-range engagement capabilities.

Geopolitical Triggers Accelerate Turkey’s Air Defense Build-Up

The rapid expansion of the Steel Dome project comes against the backdrop of escalating regional tensions. Israeli strikes across Iran, Syria, Lebanon, and Qatar over the past year — involving fleets of F-15s, F-16s, and F-35s — have significantly alarmed Ankara, which views the growing regional unpredictability as a direct threat to its national security. Turkish officials have privately acknowledged that the widening conflict dynamics in the Middle East forced Ankara to accelerate its air-power modernization and domestic defense autonomy.

Turkey’s proximity to multiple conflict zones, from the Caucasus to the Levant, has further underscored the need for a robust, multi-layered defensive shield capable of protecting both civilian areas and military assets from long-range missile strikes, UAV swarms, and hostile reconnaissance.

A Domestic Defense Ecosystem at the Core

In its official statement, SSB Chairman Haluk Görgün emphasized that all systems under the Steel Dome program would be developed using entirely indigenous technologies. He highlighted that the newly signed contracts include both baseline combat systems and next-generation upgrades to be produced primarily by Turkey’s missile manufacturer Roketsan, alongside contributions from major firms such as Aselsan, Havelsan, TÜBİTAK SAGE, and several private-sector defense startups.

Görgün stated that the contracts would not only strengthen Turkey’s overall deterrence but also support R&D aimed at extending the range, accuracy, and responsiveness of Turkey’s air-defense missiles. This includes improvements to the HİSAR air-defense family, the development of SİPER Block-II and Block-III long-range systems, and enhancements to radar platforms such as the ÇAFRAD and AESA-based early warning arrays.

A Three-Tiered Shield: From Drones to Ballistic Missiles

The Steel Dome is expected to feature three major defensive layers:

• Short-range defences against drones, loitering munitions, and low-flying helicopters

• Medium-range systems to counter fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, and higher-altitude UAVs

• Long-range interceptors capable of engaging ballistic missile threats

The system’s architecture integrates AI-enabled fire-control, real-time data fusion, and networked command centers that allow rapid target assignment across all layers. Defense analysts note that this would bring Turkey closer to achieving a NATO-interoperable but independently controlled air-defense shield.

Turkey’s Expanding Defense Footprint

The investment also reflects Turkey’s broader defense ambitions. Over the past decade, Ankara has transformed itself into a major global producer of armed drones, supplying systems such as the Bayraktar TB2, Akıncı, and Aksungur to more than 30 countries. Turkish drones have seen combat in Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and various African theatres, boosting Turkey’s defense exports to over $5.5 billion annually.

The Steel Dome project complements this broader modernization drive, forming the defensive backbone that Turkey believes is essential for securing its rapidly expanding military capabilities.

A Strategic Leap Toward Autonomy

The latest $6.5 billion contracts highlight Turkey’s commitment to long-term defense independence, reducing reliance on foreign suppliers after years of arms restrictions and political tensions with Western partners. By anchoring the Steel Dome in domestic technologies, Ankara hopes to build a system that not only protects its territory but can eventually be exported to friendly nations.

With development phases already underway, and multiple components scheduled for testing through 2026–2028, Turkey’s Steel Dome is poised to become one of the most significant air-defense initiatives in the region — and a powerful signal of the country’s evolving military posture in an increasingly volatile Middle East.