Turkey has set the goal to be self- sufficient in the defense industry by 2023, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday at an aircraft delivery ceremony.

"We have full confidence in our engineers, technicians and companies, and therefore started strategically important projects for land, sea and air systems in Turkey," Erdogan said during the "Peace Eagle" aircraft delivery ceremony at Konya's Air Force Command Center.

"It is very important that our aircraft are joining our air forces when conflicts and instability occur in our region," he said, stressing that Turkey needs stronger defensive abilities more than ever.

Turkey purchased four warning and control aircraft from aviation giant Boeing. Today's ceremony marks the first delivery of the aircraft and the fourth will be delivered in 2015.