ASELSAN Unveils Turkiye’s Largest-Ever Defense Industry Investment

ASELSAN has announced Turkiye’s largest defense industry investment, marking a historic milestone in the nation’s military technology development with unprecedented infrastructure expansion. This groundbreaking largest defense industry investment represents a $1.5 billion commitment to strengthening mass-production capabilities for game-changing defense technologies, positioning Turkiye as a global leader in advanced military systems and establishing the foundation for the next five decades of technological innovation.

Historic 50th Anniversary Celebration

ASELSAN’s 50th anniversary celebration coincided with this monumental investment announcement, bringing together Turkiye’s highest-level leadership at the company’s Gölbaşı Technology Base. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, and Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün joined senior executives from leading defense companies for the “Foundations for the Next 50 Years” ceremony, emphasizing the strategic importance of this investment for Turkiye’s defense capabilities.

Oğulbey Technology Base

The centerpiece of this historic investment is the Oğulbey Technology Base, which President Erdoğan officially launched during the groundbreaking ceremony. This massive facility will become ASELSAN’s largest operational site, covering over 735,000 square meters of enclosed space within a total area of 6.5 million square meters—equivalent to 900 football stadiums. The base represents a cornerstone of ASELSAN’s strategic vision for the next half-century of defense technology development.

Steel Dome Multi-Layered Defense System Architecture

The Oğulbey facility will primarily serve development teams working on Turkiye’s revolutionary multi-layered integrated air and missile defense system, known as Steel Dome. This sophisticated defense architecture represents a critical advancement in protecting Turkish airspace through interconnected layers of detection, tracking, and interception capabilities. The Steel Dome system positions Turkiye among nations with advanced integrated air defense capabilities.

$460 Million Steel Dome Component Delivery

During the ceremony, ASELSAN delivered 47 critical components of the Steel Dome architecture valued at $460 million to the Turkish Armed Forces. These sophisticated systems include SİPER, HİSAR, KORKUT, ALP, and PUHU air defense, electronic warfare, and radar systems. The delivery demonstrates the operational readiness of Turkiye’s indigenous defense technologies and their integration into comprehensive national security infrastructure.

Advanced Live-Streaming Technology Demonstration

The ceremony featured an impressive technological demonstration where ASELSAN’s ASELFLIR 600 system provided live-streaming coverage of Steel Dome deliveries from BAYKAR’s AKINCI UAV platform. This real-time surveillance capability showcase highlighted the integration between different Turkish defense technologies and demonstrated advanced electro-optical systems’ operational capabilities in dynamic scenarios.

$280 Million Production and R&D Facility Expansion

ASELSAN unveiled 14 new facilities worth $280 million, significantly expanding the company’s production and research capabilities. These include the Air Defense Systems Design Office, Radar Production and Integration Facility, Advanced Engineering Materials R&D Center, Electro-Optic FLIR Systems Production Facility, Guided Munitions Design and Integration Facility, Avionics Integration Hangar, and ASELSANNET HAB Production Center, creating comprehensive infrastructure for next-generation defense technology development.

Substantial Capacity Enhancement

The new facility investments achieve a remarkable 40% increase in ASELSAN’s overall production capacity while significantly expanding cleanroom facilities, laboratories, integration areas, and R&D spaces. This expansion creates substantial opportunities for highly qualified employment, supporting Turkiye’s strategic goal of developing indigenous defense technology expertise. The first facility is scheduled to become operational by mid-2026, establishing a timeline for capability enhancement.

Presidential Recognition of Strategic Importance

President Erdoğan emphasized the investment’s historic significance, stating it represents “the single largest defense industry investment in our Republic’s history” and will become “the largest integrated air defense facility in Europe.” His remarks highlighted ASELSAN’s role as the heart of Turkiye’s defense ecosystem and positioned this investment as a critical threshold for the entire defense sector’s advancement.

Defense Minister Highlights Operational Impact

Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler praised ASELSAN’s evolution from meeting Turkiye’s defense needs to becoming a driving force that elevates the country’s defense industry beyond global standards. He emphasized that the new technology base and facilities will enhance ASELSAN’s international competitiveness while the Steel Dome systems will improve Turkish Armed Forces’ mobility and operational effectiveness.

Technological Independence

Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün characterized these investments as a strategic leap forward that strengthens technological independence and expands defense capabilities. His comments emphasized the foundation being laid for shaping future defense technologies on a global scale, demonstrating Turkiye’s commitment to leading rather than following in military technology development.

CEO Vision for Global Technology Powerhouse

ASELSAN President & CEO Ahmet Akyol reflected on the company’s transformation from its founding dream of achieving unprecedented capabilities in Turkiye to becoming one of the world’s 10 fastest-growing defense companies. He outlined ASELSAN’s current leadership positions in air defense, radar, electronic warfare, communications, smart munitions, and electro-optics, while expressing confidence in the goal of transforming Turkiye’s defense giant into a global technology powerhouse.

European Leadership in Integrated Air Defense

The Oğulbey Technology Base will establish Turkiye’s position as hosting Europe’s largest integrated air defense facility, demonstrating the country’s commitment to continental security leadership. This strategic positioning enhances Turkiye’s role in NATO and regional defense cooperation while showcasing indigenous technological capabilities that rival established defense industry leaders.

International Competitiveness

These massive infrastructure investments position ASELSAN to compete more effectively in international markets while supporting Turkiye’s growing defense export ambitions. The enhanced production capabilities and advanced R&D facilities enable the company to pursue larger international contracts while maintaining technological superiority in key defense sectors.

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Next-Generation Production Capabilities

The new facilities incorporate cutting-edge manufacturing technologies and processes designed to support next-generation defense system production. Advanced cleanroom environments, sophisticated integration facilities, and expanded R&D spaces enable ASELSAN to develop and manufacture increasingly complex defense technologies while maintaining the highest quality standards required for modern military applications.

With the first new facility scheduled for mid-2026 operations and the complete Oğulbey Technology Base representing a multi-year development project, ASELSAN has established clear milestones for achieving its expanded capabilities. This strategic timeline ensures systematic capacity building while maintaining operational continuity and supporting ongoing defense commitments to Turkish and international customers.

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