Turkey spends USD35m in defense industry over 15 years

(MENAFN) Turkey's Prime Minister Benali Yildirim has revealed the country's defense industry to have consumed over USD35 billion in the last fifteen years.

During his speech at the National Defense University, the prime minister stated "our state continues to provide all sorts of technological opportunities for the Turkish Armed Forces, and we will continue to do so."

He also emphasized that the objective of the government is to tighten national defense by using advanced technology defense systems that are locally manufactured, driving Turkey to invest in research and development initiatives.

Prime Minister Yildirim explained "around 65 percent of Turkey's national defense equipment needs were procured through its own resources, up from 24 percent when the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) first came to power in 2002."

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