Turkey's Independence wants Production of its own Fighter Jet

Turkey is preparing to build its own jet fighter because Turkey wants to be independent in defense needs by 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, Ahvalnews reported.

Erdogan's statement about his plans to build a jet fighter in the country follows Washington's steps in July that removed Turkey from its F-35 jet fighter program for the purchase of Russia's S-400 missile system.

The United States maintains an F-35 stealth fighter jet cannot coexist with Russian intelligence gathering platforms and Washington has threatened Turkey with sanctions for the purchase of S-400.

"We will soon build our own fighter as we have built our own UAV, the ATAK helicopter. If they wake the sleeping giant, they will suffer the consequences, "wrote pro-government media A Haber quoting Erdogan, referring to the F-35 fighter jet dispute between Ankara and Washington.

The Turkish president also said the latest developments in the Mediterranean had led to Turkey pushing to increase its naval strength, during the inauguration ceremony of the battleship TCG Kinaliada, Turkey's home-made corvette.

Turkey has begun observing Russian Su-35 or Su-57 fighter jets following its suspension from the F-35 program, Russian diplomatic sources reported this month.

Tensions about hydrocarbons have increased in the region after the discovery of the possibility of large gas reserves on the divided island of Cyprus, where there are conflicting claims in these waters.

Turkey has become one of 10 countries capable of exclusively building and maintaining warships in its own country, Erdogan said.