Turkey among top four nations in production of armed drones: Erdoğan
ISTANBUL
Turkey is among the top three to four countries in the world in the production and sale of armed drones, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, vowing that the Turkish defense industry will focus on the future generation of weapons, including electromagnetic cannons and the projects based on artificial intelligence.
“We are among the top three to four countries in the world in the design, production and sale of armed unmanned aerial vehicles that have actually proven their success in the field,” Erdoğan said at the opening ceremony of the 15th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) in Istanbul on Aug. 17.
Turkey succeeded to reduce foreign dependency in the defense industry from 80 percent to 20 percent in the past 19 years and has now become an important exporter, Erdoğan said, informing that Turkey’s exports have exceeded three billion dollars.
“In the last 19 years, Turkey has made a revolution in the defense industry like many other fields,” he stated, adding that they were investing in the products of the future through expanding research and development capacity.
One important factor of Turkey’s rise as an important supplier in the field of the defense industry is the open and hidden embargoes imposed by some global powers, including allies, when Turkey was dearly needing weapons and equipment in fighting terror and protecting its borders, Erdoğan said.
“The imposition of a double standard in the fight against terror shows why we should be strong in all the fields,” Erdoğan said. “If you want peace, you have to be ready for way. This motto explains our philosophy in regards to the defense industry in the best way,” he added.
