Turkey Unveils ‘Steel Dome’ Air Defense System – How It Compares to Israel’s Iron Dome

Turkey Reveals ‘Steel Dome’ – A Next-Gen Multilayered Air Defense System

June 2025 — Ankara, Turkey:
Turkey has officially introduced a new multi-layered air defense initiative named the “Steel Dome”, designed to protect its airspace from evolving missile threats. The announcement, made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marks a significant leap in Turkey’s domestic defense capabilities.

“Steel Dome is not just one system — it’s a comprehensive, multi-dimensional defense network,” Erdoğan emphasized while speaking to journalists aboard his flight back from the NATO summit in The Hague.

The system integrates radars, sensors, electronic warfare systems, and multiple missile platforms, all functioning in coordination to intercept aerial threats at various altitudes.

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What Is the Steel Dome?

Unlike Israel’s Iron Dome, which primarily defends against short-range projectiles, Turkey’s Steel Dome is built for layered protection — managing high, mid, and low-altitude threats. It is expected to work in unison with Turkey’s existing systems like SIPER, HISAR-A+, and HISAR-O+.

According to the Turkish presidency, the Turkish missile shield
project aims to:

• Integrate all air defense systems and sensors into a single digital command structure.
• Provide real-time battlefield awareness using AI-powered data interpretation.
• Ensure instant response through decision-support algorithms connected to national command centers.

All core components are being developed domestically, showcasing Turkey’s commitment to defense independence.

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Domestic Tech Power: Who’s Behind It?

The Steel Dome is being built by a coalition of Turkish defense giants:

• ASELSAN (advanced radar & sensor tech)
• ROKETSAN (missile systems)
• TÜBİTAK SAGE (R&D)
• MKE (Machinery & Chemical Industry Corporation)

The project was approved by the Defense Industries Executive Committee on August 6 and has already moved into development.

Haluk Görgün, Head of Turkey’s Defense Industries, confirmed that the system is fully based on national resources and would be operational within a phased timeline.

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Why Does It Matter Now?

Recent escalations in the Middle East — particularly between — have highlighted the importance of air defense. President Erdoğan stressed that Turkey’s defenses cannot rely solely on systems like the Russian-made S-400.

“We need systems that operate at all altitudes, synchronized like organs of the same body,” he said.

Defense analyst Sinan Ülgen, from the Center for Economic and Foreign Policy Research, described the Steel Dome as “a strategic doctrine, not just a technical system.” He emphasized that Turkey’s long-term defense planning now includes space, AI, and full-spectrum air defense.

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From Drones to Satellites: Turkey’s Growing Arsenal

Just five years ago, Turkey lacked many of the technologies needed for such a system. Today, it:

• Operates indigenous low- and mid-altitude missile defense systems
• Manufactures such as Bayraktar TB2 and Akıncı
• Maintains its own satellite infrastructure

According to Ülgen, these advancements make Turkey fully capable of creating a domestically integrated air shield, a step few nations in the region can claim.

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