Turkey receives first delivery of Russian S-400
Turkey has received the first batch of Russia's S-400 missile defence system, despite repeated warnings from its United States NATO ally against the purchase.
‘The delivery of the first shipment of parts of the S-400 long range regional air missile defence system began as of July 12, 2019 to Murted air base in Ankara,’ the ministry said in a statement.
The delivery, which was made by plane, is likely to escalate tensions with the US after Washington warned this week that there would be ‘real and negative’ consequences if Ankara bought the Russian defence system.
The US State Department has said that Turkish officials are fully aware of the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, a law passed by Congress in 2017 that mandates sanctions for any ‘significant’ purchases of weapons from Russia.
Washington has threatened to remove Turkey from its F-35 fighter jet programme, giving Ankara until July 31 to cancel the S-400 purchase or have its pilots kicked off the training course and expelled from the US.
But Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting US counterpart Donald Trump last month that he was confident Ankara would not face sanctions for buying the Russian missile system.
Erdogan told Trump during their meeting on the margins of the G-20 meeting in Japan that former president Barack Obama did not allow Ankara to buy Patriot missiles -- an equivalent of the S-400s.
Trump sounded convinced and said ‘You can't do business that way. It's not good.’
The Turkish air force changed the name of the base in Ankara from Akinci to Murted after it was the centre of a 2016 failed coup attempt.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
Dronebuster product line and production capability expanded
DZYNE Technologies, the maker of Dronebuster counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) devices, has announced plans to expand production and released details on a new version of the system. This follows the release of an all-in-one kit system earlier this year.
-
Ireland plans for radar capability in 2026
The Irish Government has previously outlined ambitious plans, the furthest reach of these being the possible purchase of fighter aircraft to provide a capability the country’s defence force currently doesn’t have. A more advanced procurement effort for a primary radar is being fast tracked.
-
US Army LTAMDS enters production phase
LTAMDS was approved in multiple flight trials and assessments.
-
Technology transfer: how well does it work?
Technology transfer is trumpeted by many companies as a way to tap into new markets, win contracts and expand supply and manufacturing capability. It is often used in the area of armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) and these requirements are a way to see how – and if – they work.
-
The challenge of making the inflatable illusion and training centre
Faking aircraft, yanks and vehicles has a storied history through the previous century but there are others uses for inflatable systems such as more detailed and classified military equipment and training structures.