$24 Billion for Çelik Kubbe: Görgün Details Turkey’s Air Defense System at NATO Summit
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced an additional $24 billion budget for Turkey’s layered air defense program, Çelik Kubbe (Steel Dome), at the NATO Summit held in Ankara on July 8, 2026. Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) chief Haluk Görgün outlined the program’s components and new cooperation agreements signed with NATO members during the summit’s Defence Industry Forum.
- Announced by: President Erdoğan (budget), SSB chief Haluk Görgün (system details)
- Date: July 8, 2026, NATO Ankara Summit
- Additional budget: $24 billion
- Components: KORKUT, HİSAR-A+, HİSAR-O+, SİPER
- Prime contractors: ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, MKE, TÜBİTAK SAGE
- Coordination: Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB)
Where Was the Announcement Made?
At the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit in Ankara, member states signed agreements for joint development across five areas at the accompanying Defence Industry Forum. Erdoğan told the summit: “We have allocated an additional $24 billion budget to our Çelik Kubbe project for air and missile defense capabilities, the area our Alliance feels the shortage of most.”
What Is Çelik Kubbe?
Çelik Kubbe is described as a “system of systems” that integrates Turkey’s domestically produced air defense systems — spanning very-low to high altitude layers (KORKUT, HİSAR-A+, HİSAR-O+, SİPER) — along with radars and command-control centers under a single network architecture. Görgün said the system builds a common air picture and delivers it to operations centers and decision-makers in real time with AI support.
Görgün’s Description of the System
Görgün summarized the program’s components: “The system integrates elements operating across different range layers — SİPER, HİSAR A+ and O+, KORKUT, SUNGUR — under a single command-control architecture.” He also noted continued defense exports to NATO and EU countries and said SSB had established a dedicated directorate for NATO relations.
Components and Contractors
| System | Layer / Role |
|---|---|
| KORKUT | Low altitude, autonomous air defense gun |
| HİSAR-A+ / HİSAR-O+ | Low and medium altitude missile defense |
| SUNGUR | Low altitude, man-portable air defense system |
| SİPER | Long-range, high-altitude air defense system |
Prime contractors are ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, MKE, and TÜBİTAK SAGE, coordinated by SSB.
The S-400 Context
Görgün has previously said that SİPER would eliminate Turkey’s need for S-300/S-400-class systems: “We build air defense systems. We don’t need the S-300 or S-400.” The $24 billion allocated to Çelik Kubbe stands as the concrete investment behind that strategy — as the system enters service, Turkey aims to reduce its reliance on foreign-sourced air defense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much budget was allocated to Çelik Kubbe?
An additional $24 billion, announced at the NATO Ankara Summit.
Which systems make up Çelik Kubbe?
KORKUT, HİSAR-A+, HİSAR-O+, SUNGUR, and SİPER, integrated under a single command-control architecture.
Who runs the program?
Turkey’s Presidency of Defence Industries, coordinating ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, MKE, and TÜBİTAK SAGE.
Bottom Line
The $24 billion additional budget announced at the NATO Ankara Summit reinforces Turkey’s layered air defense architecture, Çelik Kubbe. Görgün’s system briefing confirms Turkey’s push to advance its domestic air defense capability, led by SİPER.
