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Aselsan expects to deliver over 100 Steel Dome air defense systems in 2026, building on the successful mass delivery of 47 components last year, General Manager Ahmet Akyol said during a live interview with Turkish media outlet Bloomberg HT on Wednesday.
"Building on our success of mass delivering 47 products last year, with our new investments, new infrastructure, and physical capabilities, we expect to deliver over 100 systems next year," Akyol said.
Akyol said Steel Dome is a fully integrated solution that emerged from Aselsan's 50 years of accumulated expertise, developed under state leadership.
"At its core, we have an AI-supported command-and-control software. It was developed by Aselsan engineers and is gradually expanding with new capabilities," Akyol said.
"On one side, we have a military 5G-based communication architecture that will integrate all these systems. We have a network that fuses radar and sensors. And alongside this, on the sensor side, we have large radars and optics, and on the other side, layered air defense systems—we're talking about systems like Gurz, Korkut, Hisar and Siper," he added.
Akyol also noted that electronic warfare (EW) integration distinguishes Steel Dome from other systems.
"One of the things that makes Steel Dome unique is that electronic warfare is also integrated into it. Electronic warfare sensors were also designed to be integrated into this system," Akyol said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a ceremony in August where 47 Steel Dome components were delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF).
Akyol said Aselsan is adding new capabilities to address emerging drone threats.
"When we talk about new-generation drone threats today, we are trying to add new capabilities such as laser technology, high-power microwave technology, or cost-effective solutions based on smart munitions," Akyol said.
"At the same time, we are working on new versions of Siper for much more strategic targets," he added.
Akyol outlined five key demands shaping global defense requirements.
"Across the entire defense sector worldwide, longer-range detection capability is now desired. Similarly, longer-range engagement capability is wanted.
Similarly, more precise strikes are wanted for systems you want to neutralize. A faster reaction is wanted. And in all of these, more cost-effective solutions are wanted," Akyol said.
"You can generalize these five for all systems," he noted.
He emphasized that modern warfare requires all systems to work in an integrated manner.
"The output from recent global developments is a system where everything works in an integrated way. Therefore, we continuously adapt our technologies within this framework," Akyol said.
Akyol said Aselsan is developing the capability to use commercial technologies for military products, a reversal from past approaches.
"In the past, it was somewhat the opposite. Right now, you see the battlefield is full of very cost-effective systems. To counter and manage these, we are also trying to develop our capability to make products with components that have proven themselves in the commercial field," Akyol said.
Akyol said Aselsan achieved strong financial performance in the first nine months of 2025, growing 12.3% in real terms despite inflation accounting and 29% in dollar terms—well above sector averages.
"Our backlog orders increased 120% to reach a historic peak of $17.9 billion, securing the next 4-5 years," Akyol said.
Aselsan now operates in 25 countries and exports to 93 markets, with annual R&D spending approaching $1 billion, focused on Steel Dome, laser systems and chip technologies. Production capacity has increased 40% with infrastructure investments over the past two years.
"Aselsan is the heart of Türkiye's defense industry. We are a company that provides electronic components in almost all products we manufacture—from submarines to UAVs, from tanks to ships—in all platforms that Türkiye is proud of, while also providing large systems," Akyol concluded.
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