ANKARA — The Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB) has formally inducted the SİPER Block-1 (Ürün-1) long-range surface-to-air missile system into the Turkish Armed Forces inventory, establishing the primary long-range, high-altitude tier of Türkiye’s multi-layered “Steel Dome” (Çelik Kubbe) air defense architecture. Co-developed by a domestic defense consortium comprising ASELSAN, ROKETSAN, and TÜBİTAK SAGE, the SİPER system provides sovereign strategic defense coverage against high-altitude air-breathing and stand-off kinetic threats.
Operating alongside short- and medium-range systems such as SUNGUR, HİSAR-A+, and HİSAR-O+, the initial SİPER Block-1 configuration delivers an operational engagement range exceeding 100 kilometers and an interception ceiling above 20 kilometers. A standard SİPER battery integrates ASELSAN’s long-range 3D search and fire-control radars, mobile command-and-control units, and ROKETSAN’s semi-trailer-mounted launcher vehicles carrying six ready-to-launch canisterized missiles. Concurrently, qualification testing is advancing for the extended-range SİPER Block-2 variant—featuring a larger airframe engineered for 150+ kilometer ranges and 30+ kilometer altitude intercepts—alongside the naval SİPER-1D variant for integration into the MIDLAS Vertical Launching System.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: SİPER BLOCK-1 / BLOCK-2 LONG-RANGE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEM
* System Classification: Strategic Long-Range, High-Altitude Area Air and Missile Defense System
* Project Management: Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB)
* Primary Industrial Consortium:
* ASELSAN: Early Warning Radar (UMAR), Fire Control Radar, Command & Control (C2), Communications, and EO Sensors
* ROKETSAN: Two-Stage Solid Propellant Interceptors, Canisters, and Mobile Launcher Systems
* TÜBİTAK SAGE: Aerodynamic Design, Seeker Development, Warhead R&D, and Guidance Systems
* Operational Architecture: Upper-Tier Layer of Türkiye’s Integrated “Steel Dome” (Çelik Kubbe) Network
* Battery Components & Battery Architecture:
* Command & Control Vehicle (Fleet / Fire Control Management)
* ASELSAN 3D Early Warning & Target Search Radars (500–600 km detection range capability)
* Mobile Launcher Vehicles: 8 semi-trailer-mounted launchers per battery (6 missiles per launcher; up to 48 ready-to-fire missiles per battery)
* Missiles Guided per Battery: 20 simultaneous guided interceptors across 10 simultaneous target engagements
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: SİPER BLOCK-1 INTERCEPTOR (IN-SERVICE)
* Operational Engagement Range: >100 km (official effective engagement)
* Maximum Interception Altitude: ~20+ km
* Physical Parameters: Length: 5.4 meters | Diameter: 370 mm
* Propulsion: Two-stage solid propellant rocket motor
* Guidance & Seeker Suite: Inertial Navigation System (INS) + GPS with mid-course tactical data link updates; active Radio Frequency (RF) radar seeker head for terminal guidance
* Target Engagement Spectrum: Fighter aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), cruise missiles, and air-to-ground precision weapons
* Launch Configuration: Land-based inclined / slant launch canister (Naval MIDLAS VLS compatible as SİPER-1D)
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS: SİPER BLOCK-2 INTERCEPTOR (IN DEVELOPMENT)
* Operational Engagement Range: >150 km
* Maximum Interception Altitude: ~30+ km
* Physical Parameters: Length: 6.3 meters | Diameter: 420 mm
* Launch Capabilities: Vertical launch and inclined launch configurations
