Steel Dome (Çelik Kubbe): Türkiye’s Integrated Air Defense Architecture Explained
Steel Dome — in Turkish Çelik Kubbe — is Türkiye’s national, multi-layered, networked air defense umbrella, built entirely from domestic radar, missile and command-and-control systems. After a US $6.5 billion mega-contract in late 2025 and six new Aselsan systems unveiled at SAHA 2026, the architecture is now arguably the most ambitious air-defense modernisation in Europe.
What Is Steel Dome?
Steel Dome is the unifying brand for Türkiye’s integrated air and missile defence (IAMD) system. Rather than a single weapon, it is a network: short-range, medium-range and long-range Turkish-made systems plug into a common command-and-control backbone, with shared sensors, electronic-warfare assets and an AI-assisted battle management layer. The result is a single picture of the threat — from low-altitude drones to ballistic missiles — that any individual interceptor can engage.
The programme is led by the Defence Industries Presidency (SSB) and prime-integrated by Aselsan, with Roketsan and Havelsan as the other anchor partners. The architecture’s closest international analogue is Israel’s multi-tier system (Iron Dome / David’s Sling / Arrow), but Steel Dome’s explicit goal is full sovereignty — every layer designed, built and supported domestically.
| Key Facts — Steel Dome (Çelik Kubbe) |
|---|
| Prime contractors: Aselsan (lead), Roketsan, Havelsan Architecture: 4 layers — VSHORAD, SHORAD, MR-SAM, LR-SAM/BMD November 2025 mega-contract: US $6.5 billion (Aselsan + Havelsan + Roketsan) SAHA 2026 unveil: 6 new Aselsan systems extending EW, lasers and microwave anti-swarm New BMD contracts: SİPER-A and SİPER-4 Closest international analogue: Israel’s Iron Dome / David’s Sling / Arrow stack — but fully sovereign |
The Four Layers
Steel Dome layers interceptors and sensors by altitude and threat class. Each layer is built around domestic missiles and radars, and each is networked into the same command-and-control fabric.
| Layer | Engagement envelope | Representative systems | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|
| VSHORAD (very short range) | 0–8 km / <3 km altitude | Sungur, GÖKSUR, Korkut 35 mm AAA | Drones, helicopters, low-flying aircraft, swarms |
| SHORAD (short range) | 8–25 km | HİSAR-A+, Gürz | Aircraft, cruise missiles, helicopters |
| MR-SAM (medium range) | 25–70 km | HİSAR-O+, HİSAR-U | Aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs |
| LR-SAM / BMD | 70–150+ km | SİPER, SİPER-A, SİPER-4 | Strategic aircraft, ballistic missiles |
Sensors, Electronic Warfare and Battle Management
Steel Dome’s sensor backbone is built around the Aselsan EIRS (early-warning radar) and the ALP family of multi-mission radars (ALP 100-G, ALP 300-G). These long-range, mobile S-band radars feed a national air picture that is fused with shorter-range fire-control radars at the battery level.
Electronic-warfare assets — REDET stand-off jammers, PUHU airborne EW pods, KORAL ground-based ECM and the VURAL family — operate as an active part of the architecture. The newer 2026 additions, unveiled at SAHA 2026, include a high-power microwave (HPM) anti-swarm system, a directed-energy laser weapon and autonomous drone-interception drones — all networked into the same C2 layer.
The US $6.5 Billion Contract
On 26 November 2025, the Defence Industries Presidency signed a US $6.5 billion mega-contract with Aselsan, Havelsan and Roketsan covering the next major procurement wave for Steel Dome. The package includes additional batteries of SİPER and HİSAR families, expanded radar networks, EW upgrades and the formal industrial path for SİPER-A and SİPER-4 ballistic missile defence systems.
In 2026, SİPER-1 — the first variant of the long-range layer — formally entered Turkish Armed Forces service and was networked into the Steel Dome architecture, marking the first time a Turkish-made BMD-capable system reached operational status.
What’s New at SAHA 2026
At SAHA 2026 in Istanbul, Aselsan unveiled six new systems explicitly developed to extend Steel Dome’s envelope:
New EW pod for fast-jet escort and stand-in jamming
A 50 kW-class directed-energy laser weapon for short-range engagements
A high-power microwave anti-swarm system targeting drone packs
An autonomous drone-interceptor (counter-UAS hunter-killer drone)
A next-generation battle-management software layer with AI target-pairing
A new family of short-range surveillance radars optimised for low-RCS UAVs
How Steel Dome Compares Internationally
The most-asked comparison is the Israeli stack. Steel Dome’s architectural philosophy — overlapping layers, shared C2, AI-enabled fusion — is similar, but the threat priorities differ. Israel’s Iron Dome is optimised for short-range rockets; Steel Dome’s lower layers are explicitly tuned for drone swarms (a hard-learned lesson from Ukraine, Libya and Syria) while its upper layers focus on ballistic-missile defence. Türkiye has also opened talks with Italy on cross-recognition and exportability, which would let Italian customers integrate Turkish layers into their own architectures.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Steel Dome (Çelik Kubbe)?
It is Türkiye’s national, multi-layered, integrated air-defence architecture, built from domestically produced radars, missiles, EW assets and command-and-control software, prime-integrated by Aselsan with Roketsan and Havelsan.
Which missiles are part of Steel Dome?
The Sungur and GÖKSUR for very short range, HİSAR-A+ and Gürz for short range, HİSAR-O+ and HİSAR-U for medium range, and SİPER (with SİPER-A and SİPER-4 in development) for the long-range / BMD layer.
How is Steel Dome different from Iron Dome?
Iron Dome is a single short-range counter-rocket system; Steel Dome is the entire four-layer architecture (VSHORAD through BMD). The closer analogue is Israel’s full stack: Iron Dome + David’s Sling + Arrow.
How big is the November 2025 contract?
US $6.5 billion, signed with Aselsan, Havelsan and Roketsan, covering additional batteries, radars, EW upgrades and the SİPER-A / SİPER-4 ballistic missile defence systems.
When did SİPER-1 enter service?
SİPER-1 entered Turkish Armed Forces service in 2026 and was integrated into the Steel Dome network.
Conclusion
Steel Dome is now Türkiye’s flagship industrial-strategic programme: a sovereign air-defence architecture that aspires to do for missile defence what the Bayraktar TB2 did for armed drones — set a domestic benchmark, then export the model. With the US $6.5 billion contract signed, SİPER-1 in service and a new generation of microwave, laser and counter-swarm systems unveiled at SAHA 2026, the next two years will determine whether Steel Dome scales as fast as its ambition.
Suggested Images (with alt text + sources)
Search the WordPress Media Library first for the keywords below. If no asset exists, use the suggested external source (royalty-free / official press).
| # | Suggested Image | Alt Text / Caption | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image 1 | steel-dome-architecture-diagram.png | Steel Dome four-layer integrated air defense architecture diagram | Search WP Media first (‘Çelik Kubbe’); fallback: SSB or Aselsan press kit |
| Image 2 | siper-launcher.jpg | SİPER long-range air defense missile launcher | Search WP Media first (‘SİPER’); fallback: Roketsan / Aselsan official media |
| Image 3 | hisar-test-firing.jpg | HİSAR-O+ medium-range surface-to-air missile test firing | Search WP Media first (‘HİSAR’); fallback: Roketsan official media |
| Image 4 | saha-2026-aselsan-stand.jpg | Aselsan stand at SAHA 2026 showing Steel Dome systems | Search WP Media first (‘SAHA 2026 Aselsan’); fallback: SaharExpo press kit |
Sources
Steel Dome — Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_Dome
Aselsan expands Steel Dome air defense system with 6 new systems — Türkiye Today — https://www.turkiyetoday.com/nation/aselsan-expands-steel-dome-air-defense-system-with-6-new-systems-3219519
Türkiye integrates SİPER-1 long-range air defense system into Steel Dome — Army Recognition — https://www.armyrecognition.com/news/aerospace-news/2026/tuerkiye-integrates-siper-1-long-range-air-defense-system-into-steel-dome-network
US $6.5B Mega Contract for the Steel Dome — Defence Turkey — https://www.defenceturkey.com/en/content/us-6-5-billion-mega-contract-for-the-steel-dome-integrated-air-defence-system-6427
Türkiye Steel Dome Project — Italy talks — P.A. Turkey — https://www.paturkey.com/news/2026/turkiye-steel-dome-project-ankara-in-talks-with-italy-29771/
