Turkey delivers $460 million first batch of Steel Dome air defense system
More than 40 units, including long- and short-range missile systems, radars and sensors, are ready for use as Ankara pushes for an integrated air defense, the Turkish president said.
ANKARA — Turkey on Wednesday delivered the first major batch of its integrated air defense system, Steel Dome, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describing it as a turning point for the country’s defense industry.
“Today’s deliveries are the clearest proof that our efforts have not been in vain,” Erdogan said during a ceremony held at Turkey’s defense electronics company ASELSAN, the main supplier of the Steel Dome project.
“No country that cannot develop its own radar or air defense systems can face current security challenges with confidence, especially in our region,” he added.
$460 million delivery: The delivery consists of 47 vehicles worth $460 million, forming an air defense system dubbed Gok Kubbe, which will serve as the backbone of Turkey’s ambitious Steel Dome integrated air defense network, according to Erdogan.
