Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar on NTV TV channel said that in the near future Russia will transfer to Ankara the elements of the second battery of anti-aircraft missile systems (SAM) S-400 Triumph. We are talking about the second stage of supply, the first was completed on July 25. The commissioning of the entire system is scheduled for April 2020.
The deal on the purchase by Turkey of four S-400 divisions Moscow and Ankara was concluded in 2017. The contract value amounted to $ 2.5 billion, 55% of this amount - credit funds provided by Moscow. As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said, Triumph is necessary to strengthen the long-range echelon of the country's air defense.
On Monday, August 12, the Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak reported that Ankara is considering the acquisition of Russian 4 ++ Su-35 fighters. These machines are able to become an alternative to the fifth-generation American aircraft F-35, the newspaper writes.
Recall that the United States continues to demand from Ankara to abandon the deployment of S-400. Otherwise, they threaten to permanently expel Turkey from the F-35 program, under which it should receive about 100 of these machines. However, Erdogan does not consider US countermeasures critical to Turkish defense. In his opinion, the absence of fifth-generation American fighters "will not hinder the country from any threats."
Ankara believes that another foreign partner can satisfy the country's need for combat aircraft. So, on April 23, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated that in the worst-case scenario, Turkey would have to "provide this need elsewhere - where the best technologies will be offered."
As a columnist for Arsenal of the Fatherland magazine Dmitry Drozdenko explained in an interview with RT, US actions are tantamount to imposing sanctions on Turkey, despite the fact that it is a member of NATO and plays a significant role in the alliance.
“From the point of view of Ankara, the United States behaves inappropriately: Turkey, along with other states, invests in the F-35 program, but it will not receive any compensation from Washington. The United States once again betrayed its allies. Turkey is deprived of legal rights for loyalty to Russia and the desire to pursue an independent policy, ”said Drozdenko.
On April 29, Rosoboronexport’s general director Alexander Mikheev announced that Moscow and Ankara had begun joint development of aviation systems, without specifying what was at stake. The next day, Sergey Ladigin, Deputy General Director of Rosoboronexport, said that the state corporation was conducting “consultations” with Turkey on a 4 ++ generation fighter and a fifth-generation aircraft.
Statements by Rosoboronexport executives were made on the sidelines of the 14th IDEF 2019 international defense exhibition held in Istanbul. As part of this event, Russia presented more than 450 weapons, including the Su-35 mockup. In July, the head of Rostec, Sergei Chemezov, said that Moscow was ready to sell such fighters if Ankara sent a request.
- A pair of multi-functional fighters Su-35
- RIA News
- © Oleg Smyslov
Su-35 is a multifunctional super-maneuverable aircraft designed to destroy air, ground and surface targets. This car made its first flight on February 19, 2008. The materials of the United Aircraft Corporation say that the key advantages of the fighter are modern electronic equipment and a reduced effective dispersion area (EPR).
The progenitor of the Su-35 - a heavy fighter Su-27, developed in the 1980s. Machines are very similar in appearance, but differ in design life and electronic filling. In addition, the Su-35 is equipped with more modern AL-41F1S turbofan engines (“product 117C”), which allow the aircraft to reach speeds of up to 2.3 Mach (about 2.5 thousand km / h).
Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov calls the Su-35 one of the best operational tactical aircraft in the world. Previously, the fighter showed its combat capabilities during the Syrian operation. In the Arab Republic, Su-35 crews attacked terrorists and covered up the air force's bomber aircraft.
“Today, the Su-35 is the most modern combatant fighter in Russia, with the exception of the Su-57. For the fourth generation, this machine has excellent payload and combat radius performance. In addition, the brainchild of Sukhoi Design Bureau absorbed high reliability from its predecessor, the Su-27. The Su-35 has no doubt good prospects in the foreign market, ”said Dmitry Kornev, founder of the Military Russia portal, in an interview with RT.
Today, the Russian Aerospace Forces have over a hundred Su-35s. In recent years, export contracts for the supply of these machines have been concluded with China (24 units) and Indonesia (11 aircraft). Now negotiations on the sale of the Su-35 of the Russian Federation are with Cairo. According to media reports, over twenty cars intends to acquire Egypt.
Supply diversification
Experts believe that Ankara can indeed acquire from Russia a batch of Su-35 or other modern fighters. At the same time, they note that long-term cooperation with the Russian Federation and partial localization of aircraft production are in the interests of Turkey.
“Now Ankara is negotiating with Moscow on the localization of the production of individual S-400 elements. Most likely, a similar condition will be put forward on a deal with airplanes. With Erdogan coming to power, Turkey makes serious efforts to develop the national defense complex, ”said Vadim Kozyulin, professor at the Academy of Military Sciences and senior researcher at the Center for Political Studies of Russia, in an interview with RT.
He recalled that since 2011, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has been assembling the fourth-generation American light fighter F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 50, which form the basis of the combat components of the country's air force.
- Turkish fighter TF-X in Le Bourget
- © JohnNewton8 / Wikimedia Commons
Since 2013, Ankara has been working on a project of its own fifth-generation fighter TF-X. In July 2019, at the Le Bourget air show, TAI presented its full-size layout. The delivery of TF-X to the troops is planned for 2029.
“Turkey’s efforts are commendable, but at the moment it is unlikely to be able to do without foreign technological assistance. Perhaps Russia will become this partner. The fact is that a country that has not independently created a fourth generation cannot actually develop a fifth from scratch. Now the United States and Russia have fifth-generation technologies, China and Europe have some competencies in this direction, ”said Kozyulin.
A similar point of view is shared by Dmitry Drozdenko. According to him, Ankara is unlikely to enter the “fifth generation club” in the medium term. The lack of high technology requires Turkey to intensify cooperation with one of the leading aircraft manufacturing powers. Given the actions of the United States, Russia is for Turkey virtually no alternative foreign partner, the expert said.
“Ankara seeks to pursue an independent foreign policy, but without the diversification of arms supplies this is impossible. It is highly likely that in the coming years Russia will conclude major contracts with the Turkish Ministry of Defense. Moreover, this cooperation will be mutually beneficial. Moscow will be able to make good money and increase the credibility of its products, and Turkey will finally eliminate dependence on Western imports, ”Drozdenko summed up.