UPDATE - Turkey's national combat jet TF-X to fly by 2023

UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM DEFENSE MINISTER

By Tayfun Salci and Inci Gundag

LONDON (AA) - Turkey's national combat jet TF-X will become operational by 2023, according to Turkish defense minister Monday.

Speaking to media in London, Nurettin Canikli said: “We will complete all the steps as soon as possible. There will be no delay.

"Let me not give an exact date but our primary goal is to make it fly in 2023.”

The Turkish minister said many countries, including the U.K. were providing technological support as part of the project.

Turkey will not depend on a single country or company for the project, Canikli said.

“When you work with a single company, or when you depend on a single country, you could face different problems in certain stages of the project,” he added.