Türkiye’s leading defense company ASELSAN has embarked on its largest investment to date, unveiling a USD 1.5 billion technology base that will serve as the cornerstone of its next half-century of growth. The announcement coincided with ASELSAN’s 50th anniversary celebrations, marked by the groundbreaking of the Oğulbey Technology Base, the delivery of critical Steel Dome systems, and the inauguration of multiple production and R&D facilities. The event, titled “Foundations for the Next 50 Years”, brought together Türkiye’s top leadership, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, and senior executives from across the defense ecosystem. During the ceremony, ASELSAN’s ASELFLIR 600 sensor streamed live footage from a BAYKAR AKINCI UAV, highlighting the company’s real-time surveillance and targeting capabilities.
At the heart of the announcement was the groundbreaking of the Oğulbey Technology Base, which President Erdoğan described as “the single largest defense industry investment in our Republic’s history.” Covering 6.5 million m² — with 735,000 m² of enclosed space — the facility will primarily support the development of Türkiye’s multi-layered integrated air and missile defense system, Steel Dome. Once complete, it is set to become the largest integrated air defense facility in Europe. The project underscores ASELSAN’s ambition to position itself as both the backbone of Türkiye’s defense sector and a global player in advanced technologies. According to ASELSAN, the first facility within the base will be operational by mid-2026.
A key highlight of the ceremony was the delivery of 47 components of the Steel Dome system, valued at USD 460 million, to the Turkish Armed Forces. These included major air defense, electronic warfare, and radar assets such as the SİPER and HİSAR missile systems, KORKUT self-propelled air defense gun, ALP radar, and PUHU electronic warfare system. Steel Dome is designed to provide a fully integrated, multi-layered shield over Turkish airspace, combining long-range interceptors with radar and EW assets. Officials stressed that these systems will significantly enhance mobility, survivability, and operational effectiveness for the Turkish Armed Forces.
Alongside the new technology base, ASELSAN also inaugurated 14 production and research facilities worth USD 280 million. These include specialized centers for air defense design, radar integration, electro-optics, guided munitions, avionics, and advanced materials. Collectively, the new facilities will expand ASELSAN’s cleanroom, laboratory, and integration capacity by 40%, while creating new highly skilled employment opportunities. According to ASELSAN, the expansion will accelerate the pace of next-generation system development, ensuring both technological independence and greater international competitiveness. In speeches at the ceremony, Turkish leaders emphasized the strategic weight of ASELSAN’s latest investments. President Erdoğan stated that the Oğulbey project “marks a critical threshold for the entire sector,” adding that Türkiye aims not only to meet domestic requirements but also to shape global defense technologies.
