By Can Sezer
ISTANBUL, May 5 (Reuters) – Leading Turkish defence firm Aselsan will ramp up the delivery of parts it is producing as part of Turkey’s efforts to build its integrated and multi-layered “Steel Dome” air defence system, the company’s general manager told Reuters on Tuesday.
NATO member Turkey, which in recent years has significantly ramped up its defence industry production and reduced dependence on external suppliers, first announced plans to build its Steel Dome – similar to Israel’s Iron Dome system – in July 2024.
Despite its defence industry developments, Turkey lacks its own fully-fledged air defences. It has relied on nearby NATO air defences against Iranian missiles targeting its airspace during the Iran war.
Speaking at the SAHA 2026 defence show in Istanbul, Aselsan General Manager Ahmet Akyol said the company would increase by 50% the delivery of products as part of the Steel Dome, adding they aimed to deliver more than 150 different components in 2026.
He said the parts to be delivered by Aselsan included early warning radars, electronic combat and defense systems and payloads, adding that the Steel Dome parts would comprise nearly a third of the firm’s portfolio in coming years.
Last year, Turkish defence companies signed $6.5 billion worth of contracts to reinforce and develop the Steel Dome. Of those, Akyol said some $3.2 billion worth belonged to Aselsan, adding the company would also work on systems to counter drones.
“At the moment, drone prevention is an issue everywhere in the world. Don’t look at this only as defence, it is necessary for industrial security. Drones are a threat even in regions with no problems,” he said.
Akyol also said Aselsan would aim to speed up the company’s export-oriented growth in 2026. Aselsan hit a 2 trillion lira ($44.2 billion) market cap, extending its lead as the most valuable company on Istanbul’s stock exchange.
“We are aiming to close the year with a higher export contracts than last year. Our export order growth and delivery goal is higher than double-digit growth for Aselsan as a whole,” he said.
Components for the Steel Dome also form the backbone of the parts in Turkey’s indigenously built navy fleet, with currently more than 40 ships under construction.
Akyol added Aselsan was a supplier for shipyards in Asia and Europe and that cooperation would increase in coming years.
($1 = 45.2148 liras)
(Writing by by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Alistair Bell)
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