Türkiye unveils plans for “Steel Dome” air defense system

One of the most important decisions made at the Defense Industry Executive Committee meeting held on August 6, chaired by President Tayyip Erdoğan, was Türkiye’s move to establish a comprehensive air defense system called “Steel Dome” for the first time.

That would crown years of investments that have helped Türkiye transform from a nation heavily reliant on equipment from abroad to one where homegrown systems meet almost all of its defense industry needs, News.Az reports citing Daily Sabah .

For years, Ankara has voiced frustrations over its Western allies' failure to provide adequate defense against missile threats despite Türkiye being a NATO member. It eventually took delivery of the advanced S-400 missile defense system made by Russia, a cooperation it hoped could help it develop its own defense program.

That triggered a major row with the United States, which Ankara says had first failed to supply it with the Patriot system. In response to its 2019 receipt of the Russian system, Washington barred Türkiye from buying and working on the multinational F-35 fighter jet program.

The "Steel Dome Project," approved by the Defense Industry Executive Committee, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, on Tuesday, aims to integrate multiple layers of domestic air defense systems, sensors, and weapons under a unified network structure.

It will feature real-time data delivery to operation centers and leverage artificial intelligence technologies to support decision-makers.

Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz called the approval a "historic decision."

"While utilizing all diplomatic means for regional and global stability and peace, we are determined to bring our country to a much stronger position against all kinds of threats," Yılmaz wrote on social media platform X.

News.Az