Turkey is ready to purchase American Patriot air defense systems and missile defense systems if such a proposal comes from Washington. This was stated by the official representative of the President of Turkey Ibrahim Kalyn.

“If we reach an agreement with the United States on the Patriot systems, get a good offer and agree on joint production, we will accept such a proposal,” the TASS news agency quoted Kalyn.

According to the military expert, chief editor of the Arsenal of Fatherland magazine Viktor Murakhovsky, the statement of the representative of Ankara is dictated primarily by political motives.

“From a military-technical point of view, this is not the best solution. The cost of these products is higher than the Russian ones with fewer opportunities, ”Murakhovsky stressed in an interview with RT. “This is a political decision, if it is made anyway.”

Two days earlier, Pentagon spokesman Eric Pachon reported on US attempts to persuade Turkey to buy American air defense and missile defense systems.

“Diplomatic negotiations are underway with Ankara to find possible alternatives for replacing the C-400. We continue to work with Turkey, we continue to work with the congress to try to find such alternatives, ”Pakhona quoted RIA Novosti.

The United States has repeatedly stated that the purchase by Turkey of the Russian S-400 Triumph air defense systems could lead to the introduction of restrictive measures against Ankara. Such a punishment for buyers of Russian weapons is provided for by the CAATSA law last year (“On Countering America’s Opponents through Sanctions”).

The law on the US defense budget for 2019 for a number of countries provided for the possibility of becoming an exception to this act, but Turkey was not among them. In addition, in July, the US Congress froze the delivery of Turkey's newest fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets and any major military equipment due to purchases of S-400s and detentions of American citizens. The corresponding clause was also included in the law on the defense budget.

On November 9, the US Department of Defense sent to Congress a report on relations with Turkey, after reviewing which US lawmakers should determine exactly how future military-technical cooperation with this country will develop and whether it is worth lifting the ban on F-35 supplies.

  • Anti-aircraft missile system S-400 "Triumph"
  • © vitalykuzmin.net

Murakhovsky admitted that the statements from Ankara were nothing more than an attempt to get closer to Washington. Turkey thus hopes to achieve the abolition of the ban on the supply of new aircraft, the program for the production of which previously included Turkish counterparties, the expert said.

“It is possible to purchase a pair of Patriot batteries to support the supply of F-35 fighters,” said Murakhovsky. - Americans do not hide their discontent with Turkey over the purchase of Russian S-400 complexes. But this contract cannot be canceled, it is being carried out, and it is quite likely that Turkey is now undertaking a maneuver in order to ensure the delivery of the F-35. ”

My own game

Despite the intentions voiced by the Pentagon to find the “alternatives” of the S-400, Ankara does not refuse to purchase Russian weapons, Ibrahim Kalyn said.

“Next year, the delivery of the first C-400 battery will be accomplished, then we will start their joint production,” said Erdogan's representative.

A day earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt авavuşoавlu spoke in a similar vein. On November 21, during a meeting with his American counterpart Michael Pompeo in New York, he confirmed that the deal to deliver C-400 to Turkey had already been completed.

  • Mevlut Cavusoglu and Michael Pompeo
  • Reuters
  • © Yuri Gripas

"I can not cancel it, but I need more, and I would prefer to buy from the allies," added the Turkish minister.

According to Murakhovsky, from a technical point of view, it is quite possible to place the C-400 and the Patriot in the same parts of the air defense. In his opinion, there is nothing unusual in the prospects for the simultaneous use of both Russian and American complexes by the Turkish army.

On the other hand, as Yury Mavashev, the head of the political direction of the Center for Contemporary Turkey’s Studies in Turkey, noted in an interview with RT, it is not by chance that Ankara uses streamlined language regarding the procurement of American air defense systems.

“To consider does not mean to buy. This is very much in the style of Turkish politics, ”Mavashev stressed.

According to him, Ankara intends to extract the maximum benefit from the current situation. In this case, Turkey considers the United States "as a party that is in a weaker position," said Mavashev.

From his point of view, now the Americans are forced to respond to Turkey’s actions, in fact, giving Ankara initiative in bilateral relations. Operating on the deal concluded with Russia, Ankara intends to achieve for itself and favorable conditions for the supply of military equipment from overseas.

“The American side is playing as they like, and she already realized it,” Mavashev believes.

But it is the understanding of Ankara’s motives, its perception in the United States as a willful partner within NATO can put an end to plans for the purchase of Patriot air defense systems, the expert notes. In addition, such deliveries must receive the mandatory approval of the congress, and it is very critical of Turkey.

“In addition to the Trump administration, there is a congress, and the congress has a lot of complaints against Turkey concerning, first of all, human rights and democratic values,” Mavashev said.

“Task to bargain”

As the expert noted, speaking of both the S-400 and the Patriot, Ibrahim Kalyn said of “joint production”. Previously, the Russian side did not confirm this possibility, although the desire to obtain Russian technologies and localize the production of Russian air defense systems in Turkey was expressed at different levels.

“It was quite expected that the Turkish side would bargain and even initiate agreements with the United States,” Mavashev said. - They have the task of bargaining with Russia. Last but not least, we are talking about the transfer of S-400 SAM systems. ”

Turkey does not hide its aspirations to get new defense technologies. So, on September 22, speaking at the Teknofest military-technical show in Istanbul, Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for the improvement of the technological base for the development of the national defense industry.

“As long as we remain only a user of technology, we cannot guarantee our freedom in any area,” Erdogan said.

Following this approach, in January the Turkish government secured an agreement between Turkish companies Aselsan and Roketsan and the European defense concern Eurosam to conduct research on the development and creation of a new joint missile defense system.

On October 31, Turkish President Recep Erdogan announced the creation of his own long-range anti-aircraft missile system Siper. New weapons are planned to be delivered to the troops in 2021.

As the British analytical publication in the field of military equipment Jane's 360 notes, Siper may be the new name of the Turkish long-range air defense system Hisar-U. On October 19, in an interview with Anadolu, the head of the Secretariat of the Defense Industry of Turkey, Ismail Demir, said that the contract for the supply of C-400 could help Turkey to develop this system. According to experts, we can talk about the desire to use the transfer of Russian technology.

In addition, since 2007, Turkey has been developing a medium-range air defense system (up to 25 km) - Hisar-O and a short-range (up to 15 km) Hisar-A. They should enter service in 2020 and 2021, respectively.

  • HISAR-A
  • © defense-arab.com

According to Mavashev, Moscow “does not need to be led” to Ankara’s attempts to obtain Russian technologies, since the alternatives to get something similar in the West are very vague.

Earlier, Western media noted that neither the United States nor other Western countries, such as the United Kingdom, where Rolls Royce cooperates with Turkey in creating the first Turkish fighter, do not intend to share production secrets with Ankara.

According to Murakhovsky, Ankara’s ability to use Russian defense technologies remains in doubt.

“If we talk in general about the technologies on which the S-400 systems are implemented, Turkey does not have some industries in which they could be used. It is hardly possible to talk about joint production, ”the expert concluded.