Ankara: Trkiye's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed the importance of developing homegrown air defense systems on Wednesday, especially in the face of current security challenges. "No country that cannot develop its own air defense system can look to the future with confidence in the face of current challenges," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during defense firm Aselsan's groundbreaking ceremony in Ankara.
According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan announced the provision of Sky Dome systems to the Turkish army, consisting of 47 vehicles worth $460 million, aimed at instilling confidence in allies and deterring adversaries. He emphasized that with the Steel Dome air defense system, Trkiye will now be in "a different league" in air defense. The addition of three HISAR medium-range air defense systems and a total of 21 vehicles will further strengthen Trkiye's deterrence at medium range, Erdogan noted.
Erdogan also highlighted Trkiye's efforts in making its defense industry systems available to friends and allies, thereby increasing the country's diplomatic effectiveness. He acknowledged Aselsan's critical role in the Steel Dome project, including the development of artificial intelligence-based command and control software to enable instant communication and integration of all systems in the field. The president stated that this software will form the backbone of the Steel Dome, allowing hundreds of air defense systems to operate as a single unit.
Trkiye's Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun, present at the ceremony, shared that the localization rate in the defense industry has reached 83%, with a user network established in 185 countries and an annual export volume of nearly $7.5 billion. "The Ogulbey Technology Base, whose foundation we laid today, will be a pioneering center where future command and control systems, advanced communication networks, quantum technologies, and artificial intelligence-based defense algorithms will be developed," Gorgun said.
The Turkish defense firm Aselsan's CEO Ahmet Akyol stated that they have taken a historic step today and said: "We are excitedly launching a $1.5 billion investment in our new Ogulbey campus, covering 6,500 acres."