The intelligence satellite named "Gokturk" was being built by Turkish engineers, the prime minister said during an amphibious ship launching ceremony in Tuzla, Istanbul.

The semi-official Anatolia news agency quoted him as saying: " Thus, we have ended our foreign dependence in the construction of particularly military ships."

According to an earlier report, Turkey will launch RASAT, the first observation satellite designed and produced by Turkish engineers, from Yasny Launch Base located in a southwestern Russian blast bordering Kazakhstan this year.

RASAT was produced by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey - Space Technologies Research Institute and funded by the State Planning Organization.

Erdogan said Turkish defense industry products could compete in international arena, and they used to meet only 25 percent of Turkish Armed Forces' need in 2001.

"However, our defense industry products met 46 percent of our need at the end of 2009," he added.

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 US dollars from 1 billion dollars between 2002 and 2009. It would reach 3 billion dollars by the end of 2010.

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