Turkey has finalised key plans for its Steel Dome (Çelik Kubbe) air defence shield.

The Steel Dome aims to integrate a wide range of air defence systems, creating a real-time operational picture and enabling centralised control with the help of artificial intelligence.

The Steel Dome is a domestic initiative developed by Aselsan in collaboration with Roketsan and Turkish government research institute TÜBİTAK SAGE. The goal is to bring together existing and future sensors, communication networks, and weapon systems under one unified and multi-layered air defence architecture against emerging aerial threats like drones and missiles.

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The Steel Dome is an effort to integrate various air and missile defence systems developed over the past decade.

The short-range air defence shall be covered by the Korkut self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and Sungur missiles. Medium-range Hisar A+ and Hisar O (RF) missiles will engage threats in the middle air defence layer, while the long-range layer will be protected by the SİPER missile, which is expected to exceed a range of 100 km. In the meantime, Roketsan is developing an advanced version of SİPER that will extend the range to 150 km.

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Turkey is incorporating Aselsan’s radars and communication systems, including the HERİKKS air defence Command and Control system and the RADNET radar network at the core of the program. The components are designed to create real-time aerial situational awareness for decision-makers.

Non-kinetic interceptors like the Gökberk laser weapon and the Alka direct-energy weapon are also slated for eventual incorporation into the Steel Dome, but those technologies are still under development.

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According to Defense news, Turkey had planned to use the ACCS (Air Command Control System) architecture, developed in the 2000s for joint use by all NATO members, as the heart of the new program. However, unresolved issues with the alliance software led Turkey to develop a national solution as a supplement.

Yet, as reported, the Russian S-400 air defence system, purchased by Turkey in 2017, will not be part of the Steel Dome architecture, as the S-400 does not align with Turkey’s long-term air defence strategy.

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