As the global defence landscape undergoes rapid transformation, driven by accelerating technological change and the growing integration of artificial intelligence and automation, the importance of advanced, sovereign defence capabilities has never been greater. Within this dynamic environment, ASELSAN stands as a cornerstone of Türkiye’s defence industry and a rising global player in radar systems, electronic warfare, air and missile defence, secure communications, and unmanned systems. Guided by a long-term strategic vision centred on innovation, localisation, and sustainable partnerships, the company continues to expand its international footprint.
Against this backdrop, Al Jundi Journal interviewed Mr Ahmet Akyol, President & CEO of ASELSAN, and had the following dialogue with him:
Can you tell us about ASELSAN’s global vision and strategy in today’s defence landscape?
ASELSAN was founded in 1975 with a clear national mission: to meet the communication needs of the Turkish Armed Forces through indigenous technologies. While our priority remains supporting Türkiye’s defence requirements, we also deliver high-value, innovative, and reliable solutions to partners worldwide.
Our global vision is driven by our long-term transformation strategy, aselsaneXt. Its first pillar is technology leadership: we invest nearly 250 million dollars annually in R&D to stay at the forefront of radar, electronic warfare, command-and-control, secure communications, and unmanned systems. The second pillar is international expansion. With 26 affiliates in 24 countries and exports to 95 nations, we are strengthening localised cooperation through co-production and technology transfer models that help our partners build sovereign and resilient defence ecosystems. The third pillar is responsible growth. We are digitising our operations with AI, improving efficiency, and leading sustainability efforts, ranking at the top of the BIST Sustainability 25 Index and becoming Türkiye’s first defence company to earn a water efficiency certification.
Looking ahead, our goal is for over 30% of our revenue to come from international markets. While we are proud to be recognised among the world’s top defence companies, what matters most is remaining a trusted technology partner, empowering nations to enhance their capabilities, safeguard their interests, and contribute to global stability. At its core, ASELSAN’s journey reflects the power of innovation rooted in national purpose, and this mission will continue to guide us as we shape the future of defence technology.
Can you highlight a recent project or achievement that demonstrates ASELSAN’s capabilities?
The past weeks have been a clear demonstration of our innovation strength, as we achieved multiple ground-breaking milestones within just a single week, a reflection of ASELSAN’s agility, engineering depth, and ability to rapidly translate ideas into operational capability. Our innovation philosophy is exemplified by breakthroughs such as SIPER-1 long-range air and missile defence system, which recently demonstrated fully autonomous battery-level operations, affirming its ability to independently detect, track, and engage targets.
We also witnessed a historic achievement as Bayraktar KIZILELMA, equipped with ASELSAN’s MURAD AESA Nose Radar, successfully engaged and destroyed an aerial target with a beyond-visual-range missile for the first time in the world, an engagement enabled by a fully national sensor and guidance chain powered by ASELSAN technologies.
In parallel, our ALBATROS-S unmanned surface vehicle gained remote control capability from the Bayraktar TB3, extending its operational reach; our TOLUN munition demonstrated its new fragmentation terminal effects, enhanced navigation, and Anti-Jam features by achieving a successful dual strike in a single sortie.
In the health domain, we delivered the first 30 units of our HealthView ADR-M100 Mobile Digital X-ray System to the Ministry of Health, marking another step in ASELSAN’s expansion into critical civilian technologies.
Across air defence, unmanned aviation, electronic warfare, radar, IoT communications, and beyond, our approach to innovation integrates artificial intelligence, autonomy, sensor fusion, and digital engineering. By investing in cutting-edge R&D and partnering with industry and academia, ASELSAN delivers technologically superior and strategically transformative solutions for modern defence challenges.
Can you share an overview of ASELSAN’s current role and presence in the UAE defence sector? What are the key technologies or products ASELSAN is focusing on for the Middle East market?
ASELSAN’s role in the UAE and the wider Middle East is guided by our belief that sustainable partnerships are built on trust, shared value, and long-term collaboration. Our strategy focuses on localisation, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, and lifecycle support, enabling partners to build, maintain, and evolve their own defence capabilities. By combining our global engineering heritage with deep regional insight, we strive to create partnerships that deliver both operational and economic value.
In the UAE in particular, we see strong potential for cooperation in avionics modernisation, advanced airborne payloads, integrated air defence, and electronic warfare. The UAE’s ambition to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities aligns closely with ASELSAN’s philosophy of empowering local industry through joint development, technology partnerships, and industrial-level cooperation.
As interest in next-generation air and missile defence accelerates, our multi-layered Steel Dome architecture has emerged as a key area of collaboration, offering advanced solutions to both current and evolving threats. Likewise, our electronic warfare and radar systems, such as KORAL 100 Ground-Based Radar Electronic Attack System and MURAD 110-A Airborne Fire Control Radar, as well as our naval and land-based Remote-Controlled Weapon Systems, including SMASH and SARP, continue to gain strong traction across the region.
Ultimately, our engagement in the UAE and the broader Middle East reflects a strategic partnership rooted in technology, trust, and long-term cooperation. For ASELSAN, this region is not simply a market but a vital partner in shaping the future of defence and security through innovation and shared strategic vision.
Can you describe the technical capabilities and operational principles of the Steel Dome air defence system?
Steel Dome is Türkiye’s indigenous multi-layered air and missile defence architecture, designed to create an integrated and intelligent shield over national airspace. It unifies radars, electronic warfare assets, command-and-control systems, and a full family of air-defence effectors under a network-centric, AI-supported structure. Instead of operating as standalone systems, Steel Dome functions as a secure and resilient ecosystem built on a military-grade 5G backbone, enabling seamless coordination against threats ranging from low-altitude drones to long-range ballistic missiles.
At its core, Steel Dome is built on three pillars: sensors, command and control, and effectors. Our ALP long-range radars, infrared search and track systems, and electronic support sensors deliver real-time situational awareness into HAKIM AI-based command-and-control network. HAKIM fuses data across the entire architecture, enabling rapid decision-making and full interoperability. The effector layer spans counter-drone solutions such as IHTAR, SAHIN and KORKUT, medium-range systems like HISAR, and high-altitude systems such as SIPER, which is now progressing into large-scale production. Together, these layers ensure precision, speed, and resilience across the full spectrum of air-defence operations.
What sets Steel Dome apart is its scalable, modular ‘system-of-systems’ approach, integrating kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities within a unified fire-control loop. New additions, including the KORAL 200 radar electronic warfare system, EJDERHA high-power electromagnetic counter-UAV system, and the national T-LINK Tactical Data Link family, further enhance its capability.
In August, we delivered 47 major Steel Dome components worth USD 460 million, marking a significant acceleration in deployment. Building on this momentum, our new investments and expanded production infrastructure position us to deliver more than 100 systems next year. In the coming years, we aim not only to strengthen Türkiye’s layered air-defence architecture but also to expand cooperation with allied and partner nations. As we simultaneously execute the large-scale production of radars, electro-optics, and air-defence systems and integrate new capabilities into the architecture, Steel Dome continues to evolve into one of the world’s most advanced and adaptive air and missile defence ecosystems.
Would you like to send any message to the defence community in general, or in the UAE in particular?
I would like to express our deep appreciation to the defence community in the UAE and across the region. ASELSAN greatly values its partnerships here, built on trust, shared vision, and a commitment to long-term collaboration. As technologies and threats evolve, we stand ready to work side by side with our partners to strengthen defence autonomy and security. Together, we can shape a safer, more resilient future through innovation, cooperation, and enduring strategic dialogue.
Interviewed by: AL JUNDI
