Gen. Aksay: "Turkey will be a space power by 2020"

In line with the ambitions of the Turkish Armed Forces, Turkey will be an independent space power by the 2020's, said Gen. Hasan Aksay, daily Aksam reported yesterday. In the future, Turkish satellites will fulfill its information and data needs, he added. The Turkish Air Force will keep its position as the most powerful in the region, but it will see significant changes in its structure, he said. "The F-35, standoff jammers, unmanned aerial vehicles, long-range air defense systems and airborne early warning and control systems will all be integrated into our current system," he said, adding that electro-optical systems supported by radar-display satellites would allow the air force to collect satellite images day or night, regardless of weather. Stressing that the technological developments and threats faced by Turkey are unprecedented, Aksay said the air force is the best power to counter Turkey's enemies.