Turkey has launched an ambitious program aimed at developing a layered air defense system that rivals Israel’s famed “Iron Dome.”
Called the “Steel Dome,” the system will reportedly feature artificial intelligence to detect and neutralize threats from all altitudes and ranges.
It will also enable the seamless integration of sensors and weapons into a single network to form an all-weather “security umbrella,” according to a statement from the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB).
In an artist’s rendering shared by Aselsan chief executive Ahmet Akyol, the Steel Dome concept features Turkey’s HiSAR, SiPER, and GURZ missiles connected through the RADNET radar link management system.
The graphic also shows that the layered air defense system will be linked to a satellite through a Turkish-made component known as T-link.
Adım adım geliştirdiğimiz teknolojilerle oluşturduğumuz ‘Çelik Kubbe’ konseptimiz, devletimizin çelik iradesini de arkasına aldı.
.’Sistemler sistemi’ diyebileceğimiz Çelik Kubbe, tüm irtifa ve menzillerde, hava sahamızdaki her türlü tehdidi bertaraf edecek. Kahraman… pic.twitter.com/wsIv5bOelU
— Ahmet Akyol (@Ahmet_AKYOL82) August 7, 2024
Apart from Aselsan, Turkish defense firms Rocketsan, SAGE, and Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation will collaborate on the program.
Four Layers
Compared to Israel’s Iron Dome, the “Steel Dome” is said to feature four layers of air defense: very short range, short range, medium range, and long range.
Many of its components are reportedly available in the Turkish Armed Forces inventory, including short- and medium-range systems.
The initial layer of the “Steel Dome” would cover a maximum range of 10 kilometers (6 miles) and an altitude limit of 5 kilometers (3 miles), according to a report by Istanbul-based Daily Sabah.
Its long-range layer could also cover ranges exceeding 60 kilometers (37 miles) and altitudes between 15 and 30 kilometers (9 to 18 miles).
Notably, Ankara did not include its newly-procured Russian S-400 missile system, which offers a maximum strike range of 400 kilometers (248 miles).
The Iron Dome
Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, Iron Dome is one of three layers of Israel’s air defense, which also includes the David’s Sling for medium range and Arrow for long-range threats.
Earlier this year, the system was tested against a barrage of Iranian missiles and drones heading toward Israel.
The Iron Dome reportedly achieved a 99-percent success rate, only allowing minor damage on an Israeli air force base and a single casualty.
