Turkey Plans to Reach 80% of Domestic Defense Production

Turkey plans to decrease the dependence on arms import by reaching 80 percent of domestic production, Turkey’s Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Sunday.

"In 2002 Turkey met 80 percent of its demands in arms by import, while today this number is reduced to 40 percent, which means that 60 percent is covered by our own production. We are determined to reach 80 percent of domestic defense production," Isik said, as quoted by the Anadolu news agency.

Isik noted that one of the country's priorities was high-tech production, adding that the development of the national air defense system was in progress.

The minister stressed that the country would "spare no expense to reach the designated goals."