The Turkish anti-missile system is expected to feature multiple layered anti-air technologies—but altogether will cost only a tiny fraction of the comparable US-made Golden Dome.

Turkish defense giant Aselsan has secured a $900 million contract to provide technologies for the country’s Steel Dome air defense network. Deliveries are expected between 2028 and 2032, marking another major step in Ankara’s effort to build a comprehensive and layered air/missile defense architecture.

The contract follows on the heels of a larger $1.9 billion Steel Dome agreement signed in 2025 and a $1.5 billion government investment in a dedicated production hub that may become one of Europe’s largest air-defense manufacturing facilities. Altogether, the Steel Dome is expected to cost in the low billions of dollars—far cheaper than America’s “Golden Dome,” with an estimated price tag of at least hundreds of billions and perhaps more.

Introducing Turkey’s “Steel Dome” Air Defense System

The Steel Dome system is designed to integrate multiple defensive systems into one network. Conceptually, the Steel Dome is similar to Israel’s layered air-defense system (Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow), the proposed Golden Dome, and integrated NATO air-defense networks. The goal of Steel Dome is to detect, track, prioritize, and intercept threats ranging from small drones to cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.

Turkey is bent on building such a system after watching recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. The Ukraine war in particular demonstrated the destructive potential of cheap drones and missile saturation attacks. Recent Iran-related conflicts reinforced the lesson that critical infrastructure can be targeted deep behind the front lines. Turkish analysts are tracking the fact that modern wars no longer stop at military bases, but expand to include targets from ports to energy infrastructure, transportation hubs, command centers, and economic assets. 

The systems expected to comprise the Steel Dome include a short range layer known as Korkut, which is a mobile anti-aircraft gun system designed for drones, helicopters, and low-flying threats that can also function as C-RAM (Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar). The directed-energy layer consists of the Ejderha, a directed-energy weapon, and the Gokberk, a laser-based defense system intended to deter drones, loitering munitions, and low-cost aerial threats. Gokberk is attractive because a laser shot costs far less than firing a missile interceptor. The medium range layer consists of Hisar, a short- and medium-range air defense missile system designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and larger UAVs.

The hybrid layer features the Guru 140, a hybrid air-defense platform that combines multiple interception methods intended to fill gaps between gun and missile systems. And finally, the long range layer features Siper, Turkey’s premier long-range air-defense system, built to engage high-performance aircraft and long-range missile threats. Siper is often described as Turkey’s closest equivalent to systems like the US-made Patriot or the Russian S-400. 

Turkey Will Probably Need the Steel Dome One Day

Turkey recognizes that it exists in a dangerous neighborhood, sitting between the Middle East, Black Sea region, and Eastern Mediterranean. And nearly every nearby conflict now features extensive drone and missile use. Turkish military analysts are increasingly concerned with Greek-Israeli cooperation, an expanding European military presence in the region, and increased activity around Cyprus.

Turkey views the Steel Dome as part of a broader effort to strengthen its position in the Eastern Mediterranean. And Turkey believes the system can be used to further protect its infrastructure, like ports, energy routes, sea lanes, and commercial corridors. The Steel Dome reflects a shift from traditional border defense towards a more comprehensive homeland defense, incorporating lessons from the world’s most recent conflicts. With another $900 million invested, Turkey is clearly betting big on air defense.  

About the Author: Harrison Kass

Harrison Kass is a writer and attorney focused on national security, technology, and political culture. His work has appeared in Tablet, City Journal, The Hill, The Spectator, and The Cipher Brief. He holds a JD from the University of Oregon and a master’s in Global & Joint Program Studies from NYU. More at harrisonkass.com.

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