Türkiye has added a new long-range layer Siper-1 to its national air defence system Steel Dome (Çelik Kubbe) network.
The Secretariat of Defence Industries announced that the SİPER-1 battery passed its acceptance testing. This milestone marks its formal entry into operational service. The system’s ability to detect, track and engage aerial threats under complex and demanding conditions were tested which are key requirement for modern integrated air defence operations.
Haluk Görgün, Secretary of Defence Industries stated that, the test included a scenario designed to reflect real-world airspace congestion. The system was tasked with identifying and intercepting hostile target while friendly airborne elements were present in the same engagement area. The successful outcome demonstrated that SİPER-1 can discriminate between friendly and hostile objects and execute an interception without compromising airspace safety.
Jointly developed by ASELSAN and ROKETSAN, SİPER-1 represents the long-range, high-altitude tier of Türkiye’s layered air defence concept. The system is designed to protect critical infrastructure and population centres against aircraft, cruise missiles and other aerial threats, forming the outer shield of the Steel Dome architecture.
Footage released after the test provides further insight into the complexity of the engagement. Two jet-powered target drones were flown in close formation to simulate a mixed air picture. One drone represented a hostile aircraft, while the second acted as a friendly platform. The SİPER-1 missile locked onto and intercepted the hostile target, and the interception was recorded from the “friendly” drone.
While performance parameters such as engagement range and altitude remain classified, the visual evidence confirms the system’s ability to operate effectively in dense and contested airspace. This capability is increasingly critical as modern air threats rely on manoeuvrability, saturation tactics and electronic complexity to challenge air defence networks.
With SİPER-1 now transitioning from testing to operational deployment, the Steel Dome concept is moving closer to a fully integrated national shield built around domestically developed sensors, command-and-control systems and interceptors.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
