Sanliurfa:Turkey is making significant strides in its defense industry, undertaking what President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described as "a complete revolution" in the sector.

According to Anadolu Agency, Erdogan spoke at TEKNOFEST Southeast in Sanliurfa, emphasizing Turkey's achievements and future ambitions in the defense industry. He highlighted the country's commitment to furthering its successes and indicated that Turkey assists friendly nations with their defense needs when requested.

More than 4,500 companies and over 100,000 individuals are engaged in defense projects across various domains under the coordination of the Secretariat of Defense Industries. Once reliant on foreign sources for 80% of its defense needs, Turkey has become the world's 11th-largest defense exporter.

Erdogan noted that in August alone, Turkey exported $511.4 million worth of defense and aerospace products. From January to August, these exports totaled $6.3 billion, marking a 16.2% increase from the same period last year. The president expressed optimism about achieving new records and enhancing competitiveness through advanced platforms.

The TEKNOFEST aviation and technology festival in Sanliurfa underscored the city's historical and scientific heritage. Erdogan praised Sanliurfa's contributions to various scientific fields and mentioned renowned local scientists, as well as the ancient site of Gobeklitepe.