The first shipment of S-400 Missiles arrived in Turkey amid tensions with Washington
The first shipment of the Russian S-400 Air Defense Missile Systems has arrived in Turkey, according to the Turkish defense ministry, pushing the NATO member closer to a heated dispute with the United States.
The ministry announced in a statement on Friday that “the first group of equipment” of the advanced air defense systems had been delivered to the Murted airbase outside the capital, Ankara.
“The delivery of parts belonging to the system will continue in the coming days,” Turkey’s defense industry directorate said during another convocation.
Another plane will soon be departed for Turkey with the second batch of equipment in the near future, a military-diplomatic source told Russian news agency. Source added that a third delivery, carrying over “120 anti-aircraft missiles of various types” will be delivered “tentatively at the end of the summer, by sea.”
The U.S. has strongly tried to pull Turkey back from the deal, responsible for the first “offensive” move by a NATO member towards Russia. Washington has warned Ankara that it will face economic sanctions for Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act by going ahead with the purchase of Russian Air Defense system.
Washington has also said that Turkey will be expelled from the program to produce and purchase state of the art. F-35 stealth fighter jets as the Pentagon is expected to withhold Turkey’s purchase of hundred F-35 aircraft, which would play a key role in the future defense strategy of the Turkish Air Force, as well as abstaining the role of Turkish aeronautical companies in producing components for F-35. The U.S. has said several times that the Russian system is incompatible with NATO systems and is a threat to the F-35.
Ankara has refused to bow down against US pressure, insisting that liberation in choosing desired defense equipment is national sovereignty and has crossed a Redline set by the U.S.
