According to a detailed report by TRT Haber, Turkey combined three landmark steps into a single day, coupling a large package of operational deliveries for the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) with a significant expansion of industrial infrastructure. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at the ceremony, stated that the Steel Dome components would elevate Turkey "into a different class in air defense."
The deliveries—valued at roughly $460 million and comprising 47 vehicles—include one SİPER long-range air defense system with 10 associated vehicles and three HİSAR-O medium-range batteries with 21 cars. Additional Steel Dome elements, such as the KORKUT air defense system, seven PUHU electronic support systems, and two REDET electronic warfare systems, also entered service. In tandem, defense electronics giant ASELSAN inaugurated 14 new facilities and broke ground on the Oğulbey Technology Base, moves officials say will unlock sustained serial production across multiple program lines.
Defense analyst Yusuf Akbaba described the handover as Turkey's largest single defense delivery to date and a deliberate show of capability. He noted the timing sends a message shaped by recent events in the neighborhood, where air defenses have proven decisive. The package, he added, is designed both to thicken protection of critical sites and to demonstrate momentum behind multi-layer coverage—from gun-based point defenses like KORKUT, through medium-range interceptors such as HİSAR-O, to the long-range SİPER tier.
Akbaba highlighted that SİPER Block 1 deliveries have begun, with a Block 2 test video expected later this year. Provided production lines mature as planned, he forecast multi-unit deliveries for SİPER in the next one to two years, mirroring the ramp seen in HİSAR programs. The broader objective, he said, is clear: move from prototypes and initial batches to rapid, repeatable serial production across air defense, unmanned systems, electronic warfare, and long-range strike.
The day's industrial announcements were calibrated to that goal. Erdoğan's emphasis on serial production echoed a broader push across the ecosystem: ASELSAN has scaled up its output and inked new capacity commitments; rocket and missile manufacturer ROKETSAN has expanded its facilities, particularly those tied to air defense; and other prime contractors are aligning to shorten delivery timelines. The result, industry officials contend, is a maturing supply chain capable of equipping the TSK faster and in larger numbers.
Beyond the quantity, the integration focus is central. The Steel Dome concept integrates sensors, shooters, and electronic warfare layers to detect, deny, and defeat a range of aerial threats—manned aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and, ultimately, ballistic missiles. Systems like PUHU and REDET add electronic support and attack capabilities, while KORKUT provides mobile, close-in defense against low-altitude threats that have proliferated in recent conflicts. HİSAR-O extends that protective bubble over wider areas, and SİPER is intended to intercept higher, faster targets at longer ranges.
Erdoğan's message framed the shift as both an operational and industrial inflection point. On the operational side, the TSK gains immediate capacity to protect key infrastructure and maneuver forces. On the industrial side, the new plants and technology base are intended to sustain a cadence of deliveries that outpaces demand spikes triggered by regional crises. Officials argue that without serial production at scale, even sophisticated systems cannot keep up with evolving air and missile threats.
Recent fighting between Iran and Israel has placed air defense performance under a global microscope, from mass drone and missile salvos to multinational interception campaigns. For Ankara, those dynamics reinforce a long-running priority: building layered defenses with domestic technologies to reduce external dependence and ensure availability in contingencies. Turkish officials also point to the space layer as the next frontier—satellite-enabled detection, tracking, and battle management that can improve early warning and interception opportunities against fast, long-range threats.
Akbaba underscored that theme, noting work is advancing on satellite-supported architectures to complement ground-based radars and shooters. He said the aim is to integrate space-based sensing and resilient communications into the Steel Dome to improve engagement windows against ballistic missiles and other challenging targets.
For now, the concrete steps are visible: more facilities, faster lines, and a broader set of systems in TSK's hands. Ankara bets that by compressing timelines from design to delivery—and delivering in larger tranches—it can keep pace with a threat environment where air defenses have become the leading edge of national security. The message to allies and adversaries alike is that Turkey's air and missile shield is entering a new phase, one in which production capacity and operational integration are as decisive as the interceptors themselves.
Photo: The source, Trt Haber