President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighted the scale of the investment, saying: “This investment marks the single largest defense industry investment in our Republic’s history. And this will also be the largest integrated air defense facility in Europe.” He added that Türkiye aims to meet its own defence needs and become “a country that shapes the world with its technology.”
The Oğulbey Technology Base will receive an investment of approximately USD 1.5 billion, covering 735,000 square metres of enclosed space within a 6.5 million square metre area. It will serve as a hub for developing Steel Dome, the multi-layered integrated air and missile defence system.
During the event, 47 components of Steel Dome, worth USD 460 million, were delivered, including systems such as SİPER, HİSAR, KORKUT, ALP and PUHU. Designed to protect Türkiye’s airspace, Steel Dome combines air defence, radar and electronic warfare capabilities in a layered architecture.
The ceremony also inaugurated 14 new facilities valued at USD 280 million, including advanced production and R&D centres. The projects will boost ASELSAN’s capacity by 40%, expand cleanrooms and laboratories, and create highly qualified employment, with the first site to become operational by mid-2026.
Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler said: “Established to meet Türkiye’s defense needs, ASELSAN has, over 50 years, become a driving force behind elevating our defense industry beyond global standards. The new technology base and facilities will fuel ASELSAN’s continued growth and boost its international competitiveness.”
Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries, emphasised the strategic importance of the step, stating: “This milestone not only prepares ASELSAN for the next 50 years of innovation and reinforces its technological infrastructure, but also strengthens our technological independence, expands our capabilities, and lays the foundation for shaping the future of defense technologies on a global scale.”
ASELSAN President and CEO Ahmet Akyol reflected on the company’s journey, noting: “Fifty years ago, ASELSAN was founded with the dream of achieving what had never been done in Türkiye. Today, we proudly stand among the world’s leading players in air defense, radar, electronic warfare, communications, smart munitions, and electro-optics.” He added that ASELSAN is advancing confidently towards becoming “a global technology powerhouse.”
