The second stage of deliveries to Turkey of elements of the S-400 complex has completed. This was stated in the Ministry of Defense of the country.
“Today, the delivery of the second battery of the S-400 air defense and missile defense system at Ankara’s Myurt airbase has completed,” the Turkish military department said on Twitter.
It is noted that staff training and installation of systems are ongoing. The complexes will be fully deployed by April 2020. The message also indicates that the supply of the second batch of S-400 began on August 27, 2019. The first stage, in turn, lasted from July 12 to 25.
The information of the Turkish colleagues was confirmed in the Russian military department.
“On September 15, 2019, military transport aircraft of the Ministry of Defense of Russia completed the second stage of delivering components of the S-400 anti-aircraft missile system to Turkey, as part of the fulfillment of contractual obligations,” the Russian Defense Ministry emphasized.
Recall that the contract for the supply of four divisions of the S-400 complexes was concluded between Russia and Turkey in 2017, its amount amounted to $ 2.5 billion.
Military cooperation
Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that Russia has shown a “sincere approach” in the supply of S-400.
“Russia has shown a sincere approach. We had to take these steps (purchase of S-400. - RT ) for peace in the region. They will be installed by April. We are taking important measures in the defense industry. This is a protection system, ”NTV reports the words of the Turkish leader.
In addition, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu noted the possibility of purchasing additional S-400.
“Today we need more systems until we can produce our own. And if we can buy from the USA, we will buy Patriot. If not, then we will buy another S-400. We are an independent country, ”the minister said during a speech at a strategic forum in the city of Bled.
Turkey needs more complexes to completely cover its airspace, military expert Alexei Leonkov explained to RT.
“In order to cover all the objects and territories that are important for Turkey, we expect the delivery of another batch, the purchase of new complexes. Turkey can supplement these short-range and medium-range air defense systems with the next step. Based on this, they can build a layered system, as Venezuela, for example, did, ”the expert adds.
In late August, media began to appear in the media about Turkey's interest in acquiring Russian Su-35 and Su-57 fighters. Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed this issue with the head of the Republic of Turkey during a meeting on the sidelines of the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS-2019), held in the last days of summer. At the end of the meeting, Erdogan noted that negotiations on the acquisition of the Su-57 will continue.
“Negotiations (on Su-57. - RT ) are underway, they will continue. After MAKS-2019, representatives of our ministries who work there remained in Russia, ”the Turkish president said.
- Reuters
- © Turkish Military / Turkish Defense Ministry
The issue of buying systems caused discontent from the United States, as Turkey preferred the S-400 to the more expensive American Patriot air defense system. They noted that Russian complexes do not meet NATO standards. US officials, including President Donald Trump, have repeatedly stated the possibility of applying sanctions to Turkey for the purchase of complexes. In particular, Turkey was excluded from the joint production program of F-35 fighters, under which about 900 parts for the aircraft were produced in the republic.
On September 12, Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs Clark Cooper said the United States was considering all options for sanctions against Turkey. According to him, the government does not have a clear schedule for their introduction, but it is working on all the possibilities in this regard.
Nevertheless, with the help of Russian systems, Turkey successfully solves its tasks of increasing the combat effectiveness of its troops and ensuring the country's security, told RT military political scientist, head of the political science and sociology department of REU named after Plekhanova Andrey Koshkin.
“Ankara needs an air defense system to cover the sky, and it was not by chance that Turkey had a choice: to acquire the Patriot from the USA or the S-400 from Russia. Naturally, according to the “price-quality” formula, the S-400 wins significantly - both in terms of range of determining and hitting a target, and in cost, which is almost four times less, ”the expert believes. - So Turkey chose the S-400, although this is followed by a pronounced discontent of the United States. Trump accuses Erdogan of contributing to the development of the arms market in Russia. US-Turkish relations are seriously deteriorating. But as for Ankara, it solves its problems. Now she needs fifth-generation fighters and is ready to purchase the Su-57, as well as the Su-35 (generation 4 ++. - RT ). ”
In September, supplies of the S-400 to India began. Entirely and completely, the systems will be delivered to the country within 18-19 months, said Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov. Also, China has already purchased the systems, a number of other countries are showing interest in them, including Qatar, Algeria and Vietnam.