The Turkish defense industry is taking another strategic turn in its global expansion. ASELSAN CEO Ahmet Akyol hosted the Commander of the Saudi Arabian Air Defense Forces, Major General Abdullah Mesfer Alfasily, and his delegation at the company's facilities in Ankara. It is reported that the agenda of the visit may include discussions on the Steel Dome architecture and joint production models based on technology transfer for the NEOM project.
Defense industry cooperation between Turkey and Saudi Arabia is rising to the level of strategic partnership with the historic agreements signed recently. The latest step in this rapprochement took place at ASELSAN. ASELSAN General Manager Ahmet Akyol announced on his social media account that they had a meeting with the Commander of the Saudi Arabian Air Defense Forces, Major General Abdullah Mesfer Alfasily. Akyol stated..., “We held productive discussions regarding our current projects and potential areas of collaboration.” Using these expressions, he indicated that technological cooperation between the two countries was deepening.
Will the City of the Future, NEOM, be protected by a "Steel Dome"?
The fact that Major General Alfasily's area of expertise is air defense systems clarifies the focus of the discussions. According to information circulating in international defense circles, Saudi Arabia is in close contact with ASELSAN to protect its $500 billion futuristic megacity NEOM.
It is known that the Riyadh administration is favorably inclined towards Türkiye's technology transfer-oriented model instead of European-made MBDA systems. In this context, the layered air defense architecture developed under the leadership of ASELSAN, which is Türkiye's own, is being considered. Steel Dome The Steel Dome concept has caught the attention of Saudi officials. Still under development, this domestically produced air defense system, notable for its AI-powered sensors, integrated command and control capabilities, and ability to counter threats at varying altitudes, could become the backbone of Saudi Arabia's next-generation security architecture.
The GÜRZ System and the New Threat Perception of the Middle East
ASELSAN is proving its strength in the Saudi Arabian market not only at the negotiating table but also in the field. The GÜRZ Air Defense System, which made its international debut at the World Defense Show in Riyadh in February 2024, stands out as one of the most effective solutions against asymmetric threats in the region.
Capable of countering a wide range of threats, from micro-UAV swarms to cruise missiles, all on a single platform (a hybrid gun and missile system), GÜRZ could be one of the most important topics discussed during the Saudi delegation's visit to ASELSAN. The increasing drone attacks in the Middle East are driving a growing need for autonomous and mobile systems like GÜRZ.
Saudi Arabia's "Vision 2030" Goal and the Domestic Production Requirement
Suudi Arabistan’ın savunma alımlarındaki en kritik kriteri, Veliaht Prens Muhammed bin Selman’ın açıkladığı “Vizyon 2030” hedefleri oluşturuyor. Bu vizyon, savunma harcamalarının %50’sinin ülke içinde üretilmesini şart koşuyor. Batılı firmaların genellikle paket ürün satıp teknoloji paylaşımına kapalı durduğu bu noktada, Türkiye’nin esnek ve paylaşımcı yaklaşımı ibreyi Ankara’ya çeviriyor.
The concrete steps taken recently between the two countries prove that this strategy is working:
- AKINCI TİHA Agreement (2023): Under the approximately $3 billion agreement signed with Baykar, it was decided that the AKINCI TİHA drones would be jointly produced in Saudi Arabia. This was one of the largest defense contracts in the Kingdom's history.
- ASELSAN Weapon Turrets (2025): A technology transfer agreement has been signed for the production of critical remotely controlled weapon systems (such as SARP) for armored vehicles in Saudi Arabia.
- KAAN Interest: It is known that Saudi Arabia is also interested in the KAAN National Combat Aircraft project developed by TUSAŞ and is evaluating potential partnerships.
The "Win-Win" Era in Technology Transfer
Major General Alfasily's visit reflects a win-win model between the Saudi Arabian state defense company SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries) and Turkish firms. As a global player exporting to more than 86 countries, ASELSAN not only sells products but also provides engineering and manufacturing capabilities.
Although no official project announcement was made following the talks, defense analysts predict that new export and joint production news may come in the near future, especially in the fields of electronic warfare, radar systems, and integrated air defense. Türkiye's NATO-standard products and the normalization process in the political sphere are laying the groundwork for new multi-billion dollar defense agreements between Riyadh and Ankara.
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