Turkey has risen to the world’s top three in combat drone technology, the Turkish president said on Sunday, according to Anadolu Agency.

“With our unmanned combat aerial vehicle Akinci, Turkey has become one of the three most advanced countries in the world in this technology,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at the delivery ceremony for the Baykar Akinci combat drone in the northwestern Tekirdag province.

Erdogan expressed hope that the Akinci will strengthen Turkey’s “sincere efforts” to establish trust, peace, and justice in both the region and the world.

Underlining that Turkey is determined to become the leading country in combat drones, Erdogan said Turkey has to develop new technologies.

The nation’s goal is to develop armed drones that can take off and land on aircraft carriers with short runways for use in missions abroad, he added.

Erdogan also praised Turkey’s extensive use of home-sourced defense products, which in recent years leaped from 20% to about 80%.

Source: Azerbaijan State News Agency