Erdogan confirms progress in developing the “Iron Dome” project

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed on Saturday that his country is moving forward in developing the “Iron Dome” air defense project in order to put it into effect.

This came in a speech at a graduation ceremony for a number of Air Force personnel at the National Defense University in the Bakırköy district of Istanbul.

President Erdogan stated that the progress achieved by Turkey in the field of drones is admired by friendly and sisterly peoples and the entire world.

He added: “God willing, we will put the Iron Dome project that we are developing into effect with all its elements, and if someone has an Iron Dome, we will have an Iron Dome.”

The Turkish president stressed that his country is striving to manufacture, develop, or supply all the missiles and air defense systems that the Turkish Air Force needs.

He stressed in terms of combating terrorism that Turkey “will eliminate the source of the threat posed by the separatist scoundrels to our nation and our Iraqi brothers,” referring to the separatist terrorist organization “PKK.”

On August 6, the Defense Industry Executive Committee, chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, decided to develop the “Steel Dome” project to enhance the security of Turkish airspace, according to sources in the Turkish presidency.

Within the framework of this project, Turkish defense industry companies ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, MKE and the Defense Industry Research and Development Institute of the Scientific and Technological Research Council (TUBITAK SAGA) are cooperating to implement the “Steel Dome” project, which is described as a “system of systems” as it combines several systems and weapons with different features and powers.

The “Steel Dome” is expected to be equipped with air defense weapon systems, radar, electro-optical systems, communications units, command control stations and artificial intelligence, to become the “guardian” of Turkey’s airspace.