The Steel Dome, the most ambitious and comprehensive security network project of the Turkish defence industry, is undergoing a historic evolution from tactical defence to strategic deterrence. Speaking to TV100 during the SAHA EXPO 2026 exhibition, ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol shared ground-breaking technical details regarding Türkiye’s layered air defence architecture. Akyol officially announced that production contracts have been signed for the "Siper 3, Siper 4, and Siper A" versions, which form the top layer of the Steel Dome. It was stated that these next-generation systems will go beyond being ordinary air defence missiles, possessing the capability to intercept ballistic missiles at the edge of space (exosphere). Türkiye is building a massive domestic shield capable of destroying hypersonic and ballistic threats before they even re-enter the atmosphere.
Interception at the Edge of Space: Technical Analysis of Siper 3 and Siper 4
Air defence systems operate with a layered architecture by nature. As mentioned by ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol during the interview, the Steel Dome is woven with the integrated operation of KORKUT at low altitudes, HİSAR at medium altitudes, and SİPER systems at high altitudes. However, the introduction of ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles in the modern battlespace necessitates the expansion of the defence line into space.
The Siper 3, Siper 4, and Siper A projects, which Akyol announced were signed during the exhibition, respond precisely to this strategic layer requirement. Exo-atmospheric interception capability refers to the destruction of long-range ballistic missiles fired by an adversary at the highest point of their parabolic flight paths—outside the atmosphere—either through direct hit via kinetic collision or with specialised warheads. This exo-atmospheric interception capacity, possessed by only a few countries such as the US and Israel (e.g., Arrow 3 or THAAD systems), will place Türkiye’s vast geography under absolute protection against nuclear and conventional ballistic threats.
Unique Feature of the Steel Dome: Electronic Warfare Integration
A critical distinction that sets the Turkish Steel Dome apart from other examples in the world (such as Israel’s Iron Dome) stands out in Ahmet Akyol’s statements. Türkiye is investing heavily not only in the logic of radar detection and missile interception but also in the Electronic Warfare (EW) layer.
Drawing attention to the air defence version of the KORAL electronic warfare system during the interview, Akyol emphasised that modern air defence does not consist solely of kinetic missiles. Thanks to this integrated system, the Steel Dome can detect enemy aircraft or cruise missiles from kilometres away using electronic support measures. Subsequently, the radars and communication networks of the enemy platform are jammed through electronic attacks, effectively leaving them blind and deaf. The threat is destroyed by the Steel Dome’s interceptor missiles before it can even see Türkiye’s air defence batteries or fire its own weapons.
Europe’s Largest Production Base Rising in Ankara
Designing such complex and high-tech systems is as vital as being able to deploy them in high volumes in the field. Ahmet Akyol stated that ASELSAN has moved Steel Dome components into serial production, noting that nearly 100 components entered the inventory last year, and this figure will exceed 150 this year.
More importantly, the company is establishing a massive industrial infrastructure in Ankara to meet this increasing production demand. According to information provided by Akyol, the first phase of the new campus, which will span a vast area of 710,000 square metres and become Europe’s largest air defence production facility, will become operational in the second half of this year (2026). This immense increase in capacity demonstrates that Türkiye has reached the industrial flexibility to not only deploy Steel Dome systems within its own borders but also to export them to friendly and allied nations.
Holistic Solution in the Global Defence Market
The vision displayed by ASELSAN at SAHA EXPO 2026 proves that the Turkish defence industry has transformed from a reactive structure into a proactive and rule-setting one. This wide range, extending from microwave and laser weapons (Ejderha, Gökberk) against drone swarms at the lower layer to Siper 4 against ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere, proves that the Steel Dome is a network-centric defensive marvel.
With its 5G communication infrastructure, artificial intelligence-supported command and control algorithms, and this completely domestically designed layered architecture, Türkiye is solidifying its position as one of the most reliable holistic air defence providers in the global defence market.
