Russia preparing delivery of S-400 system

The Russian-made S-400 air defense system is ready to be shipped to Turkey as the air defense system is being loaded onto a cargo plane, according to Turkish President Recep Erdogan.

The first S-400 system is expected to be delivered this week and will be deployed in Turkey, Erdogan said in a news conference on Monday. Site section for the deployment is also underway, he said.

Turkey started to negotiate with Russia for S-400 missiles in 2017. The United States has strongly opposed the deal and acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan set out the ultimatum last month, warning that it might deny the purchase of F-35 fighter-bombers by NATO member Turkey, if Ankara pressed ahead with the S-400 deal, BBC reported.

Russia's state defense conglomerate Rostec said that Turkey's S-400 purchase involved four missile systems at a combined value of $2.5 billion.

Erdogan said he was sure that the S-400 would have a positive effect on the security of both Turkey and the entire region.

S-400 is the latest Russian long-range anti-aircraft missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and surface targets.

It can hit aerodynamic targets at a range of up to 400 kilometers and tactical ballistic targets flying at a speed of 4.8 km/s at a distance of up to 60 km.

Turkish TV Channel Haberturk had reported that nine Russian technical specialists would arrive in Turkey before Monday to help deploy the S-400 system.

During the first stage, one S-400 set will be delivered to Ankara, the TV channel reported.

Head of Turkey's Defense Industries Directorate Ismail Demir confirmed that the S-400 deliveries might begin this week. Russia is yet to disclose the date for delivery.

Analyst Frank Gardner said the Pentagon clearly believes that Turkey's purchase of both the F-35 fighter jet and S-400 missile will help Russian technicians to access the plane's vulnerabilities, putting US pilots at additional risk.

US, Turkish and Russian forces already operate in the same region in northern Syria.

But a senior Turkish diplomat, who asked not to be named, told BBC that Washington had raised no objections while Turkey was negotiating the deal with Russia, only doing so after it was signed.

renqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/10/2019 page12)