This undated photo shows a Turkish air force F-16 fighter on an airstrip in Turkey. (File photo provided by the Turkish military.)

ISTANBUL, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey has become a country capable of producing 65 percent of the products needed in its defense industry.

"By cancelling the procurement projects of many products such as tanks, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, we have initiated genuine and national works on model development," the Turkish president spoke at the aerospace and technology festival in Istanbul, the first of its kind in Turkey.

"Turkey would have faced enormous challenges during its terror operations in the country and abroad if we had not reached this level in the defense industry," he said in his televised speech.

"Those who look friendly to us didn't give us the technology and armed unmanned aerial vehicles. But they have sent weaponry and ammunition to terror organizations in 19,000 trucks and 3,000 cargo planes," the Turkish leader said, referring to the U.S. support for Kurdish militia in Syria, an irritant in Ankara-Washington ties.

Erdogan called on Turkish scientists who have been living abroad to return home, saying Turkey is preparing to launch an international program involving leading researchers.

"I invite our scientists from all over the world to participate in our science and technology breakthrough," he said.

The four-day aerospace and technology festival kicked off on Thursday at the construction zone of Istanbul's new airport, featuring air shows, aviation demonstrations, technology competitions and seminars on cutting-edge technologies.