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Image: From the net
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‘It’s a done deal’: Turkey plans to deploy
Russian air-defense system in 2019
By: Burak Ege Bekdi
ANKARA, Turkey — A top government official in Ankara has
said the deployment of a long-range air and anti-missile defense system that
Turkey plans to acquire from Russia will be deployed in the country in 2019.
Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said the Turkish
contract with Russia for a single S-400 involves an option for the purchase of
a second.
“This contract has been signed and a down payment has
been made. It’s a done deal,” Canikli said.
Turkish procurement officials said that if the two
countries agreed to opt for the option clause — for a second system — then
Turkey will demand technological know-how. “This is a matter to be discussed at
later stages,” one official said, refusing to comment on the level of
technology transfer Turkey requests.
But he did say Turkey wants to have a customized
identification, friend or foe, or IFF, system on the S-400s.
“We want to make it [the S-400] a standalone system we
can operate with our own source codes, including the IFF,” the official said.
Turkey will have to operate the S-400 on a standalone
basis because the system cannot be made interoperable with NATO and U.S. assets
deployed in Turkish territory.
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| Turkey wants to procure a long-range air and missile defense shield. (Devan Feeney/Staff) |
In 2013, Turkey selected China Precision Import-Export
Corporation for its first long-range air and anti-missile program. In
2015, under pressure from its NATO allies, Ankara scrapped that program.
Early this year Turkish officials said they were close to a deal with Russia
for the procurement of the S-400 system.
In October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
the country is also interested in acquiring a future Russian air and
anti-missile system, the S-500, which is under development.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s talks with the European Eurosam group
have been progressing since 2016 for the co-production of the SAMP/T
air-defense system and have matured recently. The two Turkish prime contractors
for the co-production program will be state-controlled military electronics
concern Aselsan, Turkey’s largest defense company, and missile-maker Roketsan.
Original post: defensenews.com
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