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Turkey to launch national intelligence satellite in 2012

Türkiye Materials 3 October 2010 05:57 (UTC +04:00)
Turkey's prime minister said on Saturday that Turkey would launch a national intelligence satellite in 2012, Anadolu Agency reported.
Turkey to launch national intelligence satellite in 2012

Turkey's prime minister said on Saturday that Turkey would launch a national intelligence satellite in 2012, Anadolu Agency reported.
   Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the intelligence satellite named "Gokturk" was being built by Turkish engineers.
   "I hope we will launch it in 2012," Erdogan said during an amphibious ship launching ceremony in Tuzla, Istanbul.
   "Thus, we have ended our foreign dependence in the construction of particularly military ships," Erdogan said.
   Erdogan said Turkish defense industry products could compete in international arena, and they used to meet only 25 percent of Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) need in 2001.
   "However, our defense industry products met 46 percent of our need at the end of 2009," Erdogan said.
   Erdogan said 50 percent of Turkey's defense needs would be met by Turkish companies at the end of 2010.
   Defense industry's turnover rose to 2.4 billion USD from 1 billion USD between 2002 and 2009, Erdogan said.
   Erdogan said the turnover would reach 3 billion USD by the end of 2010.
   On defense industry exports, Erdogan said Turkey's income was up to 832 million USD from 240 million USD and set the target for 2011 as 1 billion USD.
   "Turkey has designed a national infantry rifle for the first time in its history, and we will launch mass production in 2011," he said.
   Erdogan said Turkey had started to manufacture tanks named "Altay", and launched prototype production of unmanned aircraft named "Anka".
   Premier Erdogan also said Turkey was also making test flights of its first national helicopters named "Atak".

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