‘Steel Dome’ air defense to counter drone swarms, missiles in Turkey

Turkey has launched its ambitious “Steel Dome” integrated air defense system, delivering 47 vehicles worth $460 million to the Turkish Armed Forces. Developed primarily by domestic defense firms including Aselsan, Roketsan, TÜBİTAK SAGE, and MKE, the system combines air defense, radar, and electronic warfare capabilities to create a multi-layered national shield against a wide range of aerial threats, from drone swarms to ballistic missiles. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described Steel Dome as Turkey’s “security umbrella” in the skies, emphasizing its role in enhancing national security and deterring adversaries. The Steel Dome operates as a “system of systems,” integrating real-time data from multiple sensors and sources, refined by artificial intelligence, to provide commanders with a unified Recognized Air Picture (RAP) across the country. It is designed to protect critical regions such as Ankara, the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, and strategic assets like the Akkuyu nuclear power plant.