Breaking News: Türkiye’s Aselsan joins NATO Modular Air Defense Program for the first time
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On May 27, 2025, Türkiye’s defense technology leader Aselsan was selected by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to participate in shaping the future Modular Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) system architecture, alongside four global industry leaders. This move marks a significant step in Türkiye’s integration within NATO’s cutting-edge air defense initiatives. With air and missile threats evolving rapidly, NATO’s GBAD project addresses an urgent operational need, as reported by NSPA and Turkish defense sources.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Türkiye’s participation in the NATO Modular GBAD initiative signals a deeper industrial integration into alliance air defense architecture. Aselsan’s proven expertise in modular, layered systems offers NATO new options for countering an increasingly complex air threat landscape, while reinforcing Türkiye’s strategic standing within allied defense cooperation(Picture source: ASELSAN)
Aselsan’s participation in the Modular GBAD Concept Study underscores the firm’s technological expertise in layered air defense. The project, currently in its first conceptual phase, aims to develop a modular, interoperable architecture covering very short to medium-range air and missile defense layers. Aselsan’s experience with systems such as the Hisar family (Hisar-A+, Hisar-O+), the Korkut self-propelled air defense system, and the Hakim 100 air command and control system is expected to play a pivotal role in this NATO initiative. These systems integrate with radars such as Aselsan’s Kalkan and Akrep, and command-and-control modules to deliver a cohesive defense network. In this context, Aselsan’s demonstrated Steel Dome architecture, which fuses sensor data, threat assessment, and multi-layered response coordination, is seen as a relevant foundation for NATO’s modular GBAD ambitions.
Aselsan’s air defense systems already have an extensive operational record within Türkiye’s national defense architecture. The Hisar-O+ medium-range system and Korkut close-in system are deployed across critical military zones and have been integrated into the Turkish Armed Forces’ air defense network. The Hakim 100 C2 system, operational since 2023, supports joint air-ground coordination and contributes to situational awareness and engagement decision-making. Internationally, while NATO allies currently rely on systems like Patriot or NASAMS, Türkiye’s domestically-developed systems are steadily gaining credibility, with several allied nations evaluating Hisar for future procurement.
A key advantage of Aselsan’s technology lies in its open, modular design philosophy and software-defined architecture, enabling flexible integration into NATO’s existing C2 networks. Compared to legacy systems with more rigid architectures, Aselsan’s solutions can be tailored to emerging threat environments, including drone swarms, loitering munitions, and advanced cruise missiles. Historically, NATO’s air defense evolved around monolithic systems; now, the GBAD project seeks adaptable, multi-vendor architectures. Here, Aselsan’s agile engineering approach aligns well with NATO’s vision for interoperability and cost-effective scalability.
Strategically, Aselsan’s role in Modular GBAD carries geopolitical weight. Türkiye’s inclusion in a core NATO project strengthens Ankara’s position within alliance defense planning, demonstrating trust in Türkiye’s industrial and technological base. Militarily, it ensures that Turkish defense solutions contribute to NATO’s layered air and missile shield at a time of heightened tensions in Europe and the Middle East. The project also reflects Türkiye’s ambition to expand its defense exports and industrial partnerships beyond national borders, anchoring itself in cooperative programs with long-term strategic impact.
The Modular GBAD Concept Study is jointly funded by NATO’s Modular GBAD Support Partnership. As of May 2025, contracts remain at the outline agreement stage, with initial work focused on Concept Study #1, defining system architecture. Progress to Concept Studies #2 and #3, addressing modularity and new technologies, depends on evaluations in September 2025. Aselsan’s most recent air defense contract is a $300 million order for Hisar-O+ systems placed by the Turkish Armed Forces in 2024, supporting Türkiye’s national air defense modernization.
Türkiye’s participation in the NATO Modular GBAD initiative signals a deeper industrial integration into alliance air defense architecture. Aselsan’s proven expertise in modular, layered systems offers NATO new options for countering an increasingly complex air threat landscape, while reinforcing Türkiye’s strategic standing within allied defense cooperation.
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On May 27, 2025, Türkiye’s defense technology leader Aselsan was selected by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) to participate in shaping the future Modular Ground-Based Air Defense (GBAD) system architecture, alongside four global industry leaders. This move marks a significant step in Türkiye’s integration within NATO’s cutting-edge air defense initiatives. With air and missile threats evolving rapidly, NATO’s GBAD project addresses an urgent operational need, as reported by NSPA and Turkish defense sources.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
Türkiye’s participation in the NATO Modular GBAD initiative signals a deeper industrial integration into alliance air defense architecture. Aselsan’s proven expertise in modular, layered systems offers NATO new options for countering an increasingly complex air threat landscape, while reinforcing Türkiye’s strategic standing within allied defense cooperation
(Picture source: ASELSAN)
Aselsan’s participation in the Modular GBAD Concept Study underscores the firm’s technological expertise in layered air defense. The project, currently in its first conceptual phase, aims to develop a modular, interoperable architecture covering very short to medium-range air and missile defense layers. Aselsan’s experience with systems such as the Hisar family (Hisar-A+, Hisar-O+), the Korkut self-propelled air defense system, and the Hakim 100 air command and control system is expected to play a pivotal role in this NATO initiative. These systems integrate with radars such as Aselsan’s Kalkan and Akrep, and command-and-control modules to deliver a cohesive defense network. In this context, Aselsan’s demonstrated Steel Dome architecture, which fuses sensor data, threat assessment, and multi-layered response coordination, is seen as a relevant foundation for NATO’s modular GBAD ambitions.
Aselsan’s air defense systems already have an extensive operational record within Türkiye’s national defense architecture. The Hisar-O+ medium-range system and Korkut close-in system are deployed across critical military zones and have been integrated into the Turkish Armed Forces’ air defense network. The Hakim 100 C2 system, operational since 2023, supports joint air-ground coordination and contributes to situational awareness and engagement decision-making. Internationally, while NATO allies currently rely on systems like Patriot or NASAMS, Türkiye’s domestically-developed systems are steadily gaining credibility, with several allied nations evaluating Hisar for future procurement.
A key advantage of Aselsan’s technology lies in its open, modular design philosophy and software-defined architecture, enabling flexible integration into NATO’s existing C2 networks. Compared to legacy systems with more rigid architectures, Aselsan’s solutions can be tailored to emerging threat environments, including drone swarms, loitering munitions, and advanced cruise missiles. Historically, NATO’s air defense evolved around monolithic systems; now, the GBAD project seeks adaptable, multi-vendor architectures. Here, Aselsan’s agile engineering approach aligns well with NATO’s vision for interoperability and cost-effective scalability.
Strategically, Aselsan’s role in Modular GBAD carries geopolitical weight. Türkiye’s inclusion in a core NATO project strengthens Ankara’s position within alliance defense planning, demonstrating trust in Türkiye’s industrial and technological base. Militarily, it ensures that Turkish defense solutions contribute to NATO’s layered air and missile shield at a time of heightened tensions in Europe and the Middle East. The project also reflects Türkiye’s ambition to expand its defense exports and industrial partnerships beyond national borders, anchoring itself in cooperative programs with long-term strategic impact.
The Modular GBAD Concept Study is jointly funded by NATO’s Modular GBAD Support Partnership. As of May 2025, contracts remain at the outline agreement stage, with initial work focused on Concept Study #1, defining system architecture. Progress to Concept Studies #2 and #3, addressing modularity and new technologies, depends on evaluations in September 2025. Aselsan’s most recent air defense contract is a $300 million order for Hisar-O+ systems placed by the Turkish Armed Forces in 2024, supporting Türkiye’s national air defense modernization.
Türkiye’s participation in the NATO Modular GBAD initiative signals a deeper industrial integration into alliance air defense architecture. Aselsan’s proven expertise in modular, layered systems offers NATO new options for countering an increasingly complex air threat landscape, while reinforcing Türkiye’s strategic standing within allied defense cooperation.
