President Erdoğan highlights local air defence in Türkiye’s security strategy

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is highlighting Türkiye’s push for homegrown air defence, as the country develops new systems and deepens defence ties internationally.

President Erdoğan said 47 vehicles worth $460 million are now being delivered to the Turkish Armed Forces, alongside three HISAR medium-range systems.

He stressed that "no country can look to the future with confidence without its own air defence architecture."

The president also hailed the delivery of key components of the country’s multilayered 'Steel Dome' system, calling it a turning point for national security.

The system, designed to counter low, medium, and high-altitude threats, integrates land and sea-based platforms developed locally.

Turkish defence firm Aselsan is playing a central role, developing artificial intelligence-based command and control software that allows hundreds of systems to operate as one.

Officials say Türkiye’s defense industry localisation rate has now reached 83%, with exports nearing $7.5 billion annually.

Ankara’s defence push is reaching abroad. Turkish defence giant Havelsan signed has a strategic deal with Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization to co-produce a new generation of unmanned aerial vehicles.

The partnership covers the BAHA, BULUT, and BOZBEY UAVs, set to be produced for both Egypt and the wider African sector.

These moves highlight Türkiye’s strategy to secure its skies at home while building long-term industrial and defence partnerships globally.

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