MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Turkey’s Steel Dome (Celik Kubbe) layered air defense system, which will consist entirely of domestically-produced components, is scheduled for completion in 2028, newspaper Aydinlik reported.
The publication said that the decision to create the Steel Dome was made in August 2024 at a meeting of the Turkish National Security Council. Turkey’s top defense companies are working with Aselsan, which produces the majority of air defense missile systems in the country, to source the necessary components.
The components of the Steel Dome will operate on four tiers: very short-, short-, medium-, and long-range. In addition to the air defense system, it will include radar stations (radars), electronic warfare (EW) and directed energy weapons designed primarily to counter drones.
The first echelon will include means to combat drones and mortar shells. It will include the Gokberk mobile laser system and Korkut, Gurz and Shahin anti-aircraft systems.
The second and third echelons will consist of several models of Hisar short-and medium-range anti-aircraft missile systems. They are designed primarily to engage cruise missiles and aircraft at a range of 15 to 40 km.
To counter aerial threats at a greater distance, the Siper anti-aircraft missile system, which the newspaper called one of Turkey's strategic assets, will be used. The Block-1 version of this air defense system with a range of more than 100 km was put into service in April 2024.
The Block-2 and Block-3 modifications, which are still in development, will have a range of more than 150 and 180 km, respectively. These air defense systems are capable of simultaneously tracking dozens of targets and destroying them at high altitude.
The paper separately mentioned the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, which are also in service with the Turkish army. Their range reaches 400 km. Ankara plans to further involve them in the protection of strategic facilities without integrating them with NATO systems.
The "eyes" of Turkey’s Steel Dome will be a radar of the ALP series from Aselsan capable of tracking threats at low and high altitudes.
Most Turkish radars are integrated into the Link-16 tactical data exchange network compatible with NATO systems. However, Turkey views it as an impediment because if there is war with NATO, the vulnerability of the system to external interference may threaten the republic's security.
This is why, according to defense sources, the armed forces need a national data transmission network that would be completely independent of NATO.
The lack of its own global positioning system presents the key obstacle, on which Aselsan and the Tyubitak Scientific Research Institute of Space Technologies, subordinate to the Technological Council, are currently working together. They plan to commission a national satellite navigation system by 2030.