Erdoğan vows fully domestic defense production

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Sept. 20 his administration aims to ensure complete domestic production within Türkiye's defense sector.

"We will continue our work until we reach the goal of a fully independent Türkiye in the defense industry," Erdoğan said during an event at Istanbul Airport.

He referenced recent explosions in Lebanon involving electronic devices. "The value of our national technology initiative's investments has been understood," Erdoğan stated.

Over two days, pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated, wounding and even crippling some fighters, but also maiming civilians connected to the group's social branches.

"We will not make the slightest concession to Türkiye's peace. We are extremely determined. We do not ignore even the slightest threat to our nation and democracy," Erdoğan said.

"The primary duty of the state is to ensure the peace and security of its citizens. Security is the condition of a strong state."

The president reflected on Türkiye's past security challenges, noting efforts to improve security services over the past two decades.

"We clearly remember how the streets were plunged into chaos in the 70s and what kind of atmosphere prevailed afterwards," he said.

"We lost our young people in that dark climate. As a nation, we faced very heavy bills."