Türkiye opens talks with Italy for SAMP/T air defense acquisition to accelerate Steel Dome deployment.

Türkiye has opened negotiations with Italy to acquire and co-produce the SAMP/T long-range air and missile defense system, aiming to accelerate deployment of its national Steel Dome architecture and strengthen upper-tier interception capability.

This follows recent Iranian missile launches toward Turkish territory, highlighting gaps in long-range air defense and reinforcing the need for a sovereign, multi-layered protection system integrated with NATO networks. The talks involve potential integration of SAMP/T batteries alongside systems such as Patriot and indigenous platforms within Türkiye’s southeastern defense infrastructure. The acquisition is strategically significant as it enhances ballistic missile defense, reduces reliance on allied coverage, and improves interoperability and readiness across NATO’s southern flank.

Read also: Türkiye seeks French approval for SAMP/T air defense system to achieve national Steel Dome project

The discussions with Italy, which follow similar talks with France in June 2025, are also based on a January 2018 agreement with Eurosam that initiated an 18-month feasibility study involving European partners, including Thales, Leonardo, and MBDA. (Picture source: French Air Force)

On April 8, 2026, Bloomberg revealed that Türkiye opened a new round of negotiations with Italy to acquire and co-produce the SAMP/T air and missile defense system, following several Iranian missile launches toward its territory that were intercepted by NATO assets, an episode that exposed possible gaps in long-range air defense coverage. At the same time, Ankara seeks to accelerate the development of its national Steel Dome air defense architecture, combining foreign systems with new domestic assets. This also reflects a diplomatic context in which Turkish officials assess that France may reconsider earlier objections, due to the combination of operational urgency, NATO interoperability requirements, and the expansion of domestic missile production capabilities supported by recent industrial investments.

The operational trigger was the interception of at least four missiles launched from Iran toward Türkiye during the recent war between Iran, Israel, and the US, an event that confirmed that ballistic threats originating from the Middle East can reach Turkish airspace and potentially target NATO-linked infrastructure. As this includes installations hosting allied personnel, particularly along the southeastern flank, NATO deployed two additional U.S-made Patriot air defense systems alongside the reinforcement of the Kürecik early warning radar in eastern Türkiye and Incirlik Air Base near the Syrian border, where several hundred U.S personnel are present. However, this highlighted a reliance on allied coverage that Ankara is seeking to reduce through the accelerated development of a sovereign, multi-layered interception capability able to respond to simultaneous threats.

The SAMP/T system under negotiation is a Franco-Italian ground-based air defense system developed by Eurosam, designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles using the Aster 30 interceptor. The newer SAMP/T NG configuration, for its part, employs the Aster 30 B1NT missile capable of reaching targets at distances up to 150 km and intercepting high-speed threats, while relying on AESA radar systems such as the Thales Ground Fire 300 or Leonardo Kronos GM HP. Both radars provide a full 360-degree coverage and the ability to track hundreds of targets simultaneously, while each battery typically consists of 4 to 6 truck-mounted launchers carrying eight missiles each, integrated into NATO command networks through standardized data links and engagement protocols.

The Steel Dome program that Türkiye is developing combines multiple layers of air defense designed to operate across different ranges and altitudes, integrating short-range systems such as Korkut and Sungur, medium-range systems including Hisar-A+ and Hisar-O, and long-range interceptors such as the Siper missile, which exceeds 150 km in range and is being developed by Roketsan and TÜBİTAK SAGE. The Steel Dome also incorporates command-and-control systems such as HERİKKS, data integration through RADNET, artificial intelligence-supported decision-making processes, and electronic warfare components. The objective is to create a centralized engagement structure in which the SAMP/T would serve as a near-term solution for upper-tier interception pending full maturity of domestic systems.

The industrial dimension of the negotiations reflects a structured approach centered on a joint production model and technology transfer, with Turkish firms such as Aselsan and Roketsan expected to contribute to radar integration, fire control systems, and missile subsystems. The discussions with Italy, which follows similar talks with France in June 2025, are also based on a January 2018 agreement with Eurosam that initiated an 18-month feasibility study involving European partners including Thales, Leonardo, and MBDA, although progress stalled after 2019 due to political disagreements. At the same time, Türkiye continues to increase its domestic manufacturing capabilities, exemplified by the inauguration on April 7, 2026, of a new Roketsan production facility near Ankara with a total investment of $3 billion. This new factory will increase the output of Turkish-developed missile systems, such as the Tayfun ballistic missile and various air defense interceptors.

Political constraints remain a central factor in the SAMP/T acquisition’s progression, as France previously blocked the SAMP/T acquisition due to disagreements linked to Türkiye’s military operations in northern Syria, maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean, and broader geopolitical tensions. For its part, Italy has consistently supported the trilateral framework and remains engaged in joint working groups preparing the co-production, as well as supporting reciprocal investment in Italy (Baykar’s acquisition of Piaggio Aerospace is a good example). Moreover, discussions between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Emmanuel Macron at the NATO summit in The Hague in June 2025 indicate a renewed Turkish effort to remove these political barriers, arguing that participation in European defense programs is necessary given Türkiye’s role as one of NATO’s largest contributors.

The acquisition is also linked to Türkiye’s relationship with the United States and NATO following the 2017 purchase of the Russian S-400 system under a $2.5 billion contract, which resulted in exclusion from the F-35 program and sanctions under CAATSA, while Ankara maintains that the S-400 will not be integrated into NATO systems and will be used only in limited scenarios. Therefore, the potential integration of the SAMP/T within the Steel Dome would improve its compatibility with NATO defense networks, creating conditions for renewed dialogue on a broader defense cooperation. This renewed cooperation might include a possible re-engagement within the F-35 program and adjustments to existing sanctions frameworks, particularly as Türkiye prepares to host a NATO summit in July, reinforcing its position as a key contributor to NATO’s southeastern defense flank.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.