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Turkiye has signed approximately $6.5 billion in new defense contracts to strengthen and expand its integrated, multi-layered Steel Dome air defense architecture, marking one of the country’s largest recent investments in domestic defense systems.

Turkiye’s defense officials said the agreements, coordinated by the Defense Industries Presidency (SSB), aim to add new offensive and defensive capabilities while upgrading systems already in service.

At the signing ceremony, SSB Chairman Haluk Gorgun said decisions taken at the latest Defense Industry Executive Committee meeting centered on expanding both offensive and air defense assets. He said Roketsan and Aselsan had signed contracts covering upgraded versions of existing systems as well as newly developed offensive platforms.

“In this process, Roketsan and Aselsan, in addition to the air defense, close-range, and long-range air defense systems they have previously produced, developed, and previously added to the inventory, have now signed contracts for Roketsan’s newly added offensive systems and their advanced versions,” he said.

Gorgun said Turkiye had become a global actor in the defense sector and is now among the top 10 countries exporting defense industry products to the world. While the country continues to build systems to meet its own needs, he said Turkiye has also reached the capability to export in multiple categories.

Haluk emphasized the strategic role of the Steel Dome concept in the country’s evolving air defense doctrine, stressing that the program is based entirely on domestic technology.

Gorgun said, “Of course, we are working with the peace to produce all the elements of the layered air defense systems architecture, starting with the Steel Dome structure, both the subsystems and their integrated networking, as well as the software and hardware,” adding that “We have also signed the serial production of offensive systems that will enhance our deterrence.”

Multi-Layered Defense Architecture

Ankara first announced the Steel Dome program in 2024, describing it as a system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome, designed to use artificial intelligence and layered sensors to counter air and missile threats across different ranges and altitudes.

The system integrates 47 components, including radars, missiles, electro-optical sensors, command and control centers, and short-, medium-, and long-range interceptors.

Local media reported that the newly signed contracts cover both combat systems already fielded and upgraded versions to be produced by Roketsan and Aselsan, in cooperation with other domestic entities such as TUBITAK SAGE and the Machine and Chemical Industry.

Gorgun said the Steel Dome would rely entirely on domestic technology, in line with Ankara’s long-term push to reduce foreign dependency. Turkiye has already lowered its reliance on external suppliers from roughly 80 percent in the early 2000s to below 20 percent today.

The chairmen of Aselsan and Roketsan said the latest contracts were of “strategic importance,” noting that they include space and air defense technologies, anti-tank systems, and other strategic capabilities.

Regional Security Backdrop

Turkiye’s announcement comes amid heightened regional tensions, including Israeli military operations in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, and Syria, as well as the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. Strikes by Israel, which fields hundreds of U.S.-supplied F-15, F-16, and F-35 aircraft, have particularly concerned Turkish officials, prompting accelerated efforts to expand air defense coverage.

Since unveiling the Steel Dome concept, Ankara has repeatedly highlighted its significance for national security and deterrence. The initiative also aligns with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s long-standing goal of enhancing Turkiye’s defense posture to a level, he has said, that “nobody will even consider” attacking.

In parallel, Turkiye has emerged as a leading manufacturer and exporter of unmanned aerial vehicles, which have been used in conflicts in Ukraine, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh, and several African countries. Defense exports reached $7.15 billion in 2024, rising from $5.5 billion the previous year, with projections surpassing $8 billion in 2025.

Recent Deliveries and New Capabilities

Before the latest investment, Turkiye had received multiple air defense components worth $460 million earlier this year. These included Hisar O 100 and Siper long-range systems, Alp 300-G and 100-G radar platforms, Puhu and Redet electronic warfare systems, and Korkut short-range air defense vehicles.

Officials said these deliveries, coupled with the new $6.5 billion contracts, reflect Ankara’s broader push to strengthen deterrence while expanding its domestic production base.

The project’s long-term vision includes boosting the range, accuracy, and resilience of interceptors; integrating AI-supported data processing; and enhancing the connectivity between sensors, command nodes, and weapon systems. Despite progress, analysts and Turkish officials agree that the Steel Dome is still several years away from full operational capability.

Growing Global Defense Role

Gorgun said Turkiye’s expanding defense industrial base had positioned it among the world’s top exporters. He noted that as the Steel Dome advances, Turkiye is not only securing its own airspace but also becoming increasingly capable of offering advanced systems to international partners.

The SSB said the newly signed agreements would strengthen the domestic ecosystem, deepen collaboration between major state-owned firms and smaller suppliers, and support long-term technological development.

Officials said the Steel Dome’s layered structure, once fully implemented, will form the backbone of Turkiye’s future air and missile defense posture, intended to counter threats ranging from drones and rockets to ballistic missiles.

Turkiye’s defense institutions described the latest contracts as an important milestone in building a fully independent air defense system, anchored in the country’s long-term strategic priorities and its expanding role within NATO and global defense markets.