ASELSAN signed a 780 million euro ($905 million) air defense systems procurement contract with the Defense Industry Agency (SSB). The agreement covers systems designed to enhance the country's air defense capabilities and will contribute to Steel Dome, a multi-layered air defense architecture developed under SSB coordination as a domestic integrated system-of-systems project encompassing all air defense components.

ASELSAN has accumulated over 50 years of expertise in defense technology development. The company specializes in a broad range of products including radar systems, electronic warfare solutions, electro-optical systems, and communication technologies. As a cornerstone of Turkey's indigenous defense ecosystem, ASELSAN's institutional capacity positions it as a key integrator for complex defense programs. Under this contract, the company will ensure Steel Dome operates as a cohesive integrated system with seamless interoperability across all layers.

Steel Dome features a multi-layered architecture ranging from cost-effective low-altitude defense against drone swarms and unmanned aerial vehicles to mid-range systems such as Korkut and Gurz, along with radar networks covering multiple altitudes. HISAR systems form the middle layer of the architecture, while SIPER is positioned in the upper layer. The system integrates air defense weapon systems, radars, electro-optical solutions, communication modules, command-and-control stations, and artificial intelligence capabilities. ASELSAN is developing Hakim, a higher-level command-and-control solution designed to coordinate all systems within Steel Dome.

Turkish defense industry has achieved significant progress in air defense over the past two decades. The HISAR systems family was initially developed to meet medium-range air defense requirements and has since been adapted through various variants (HISAR-A, HISAR-O) for different threat levels. The SIPER system provides a strategic-level solution for long-range regional air and missile defense. Its new version, SIPER 2, is designed for extended ranges and higher altitudes, and recently successfully destroyed a maneuvering target in a firing test conducted by SSB.

Compared to international air defense systems, Steel Dome represents a NATO-compatible system-of-systems approach. Multi-layered architectures such as Patriot, NASAMS, and Israel's Iron Dome similarly address low, medium, and high-altitude threats separately. Turkey's indigenous solution offers competitive positioning against these international examples while providing strategic advantages in localization rates and technological independence. ASELSAN's work under this contract will strengthen Steel Dome's operational effectiveness and system integration capabilities.