DEFENSE – theworldmail.co.uk

JULY 2019 | theworldmail.co.uk

Russian planes continue to deliver S-400 parts to Turkey

**JULY 12, 2019 1500 GMT | Ankara, Turkey |** A Russian transport aircraft, carrying military vehicles and equipment, parts of the S-400 air defense systems, is seen at Murted military airport in Ankara, Turkey on Friday. The first shipment of a Russian missile defense system has arrived in Turkey, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Friday, moving the country closer to possible U.S. sanctions and a new standoff with Washington. The U.S. has strongly urged NATO member Turkey to pull back from the deal, warning the country that it will face economic sanctions. (Turkish Defence Ministry via AP)

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey hopes to co-produce high-tech weaponry systems with Russia in the future, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, further defying its NATO ally the United States, which has warned the country of possible sanctions over its purchase of a Russian-made missile defense system.

The Turkish leader made the comments Monday, hours after two more Russian cargo planes landed in Turkey to deliver parts of the Russian-made S-400 missile system that Ankara is acquiring from Russia despite strong U.S. objections.

“They said ‘They can’t buy them.’ They said ‘They can’t deploy them anywhere.’ They said ‘It’s not right to buy them’ and as of today, the eighth plane has arrived and has started to unload its contents,” said Erdogan, adding that the system would be fully deployed in less than a year.

Military vehicles and equipment, parts of the S-400 air defense systems, are seen on the tarmac, after they were unloaded from a Russian transport aircraft, at Murted military airport in Ankara, Turkey, Friday, July 12, 2019. The first shipment of a Russian missile defense system has arrived in Turkey, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Friday, moving the country closer to possible U.S. sanctions and a new standoff with Washington. The U.S. has strongly urged NATO member Turkey to pull back from the deal, warning the country that it will face economic sanctions. **(Turkish Defence Ministry via AP)**

“God willing, in April 2020 we’ll bring (the deployment) to an end, and with that, we’ll be among the limited number of countries in the world in terms of air defense systems,” he said. “Now the goal is joint production with Russia.”

Earlier, the Turkish defense ministry said two more Russian cargo planes landed at the Murted Air Base near the capital, Ankara, bringing the Russian-made S-400 systems’ components for the fourth day running. They were the eighth and ninth planes to land at Murted since Friday.

The U.S. has repeatedly warned Turkey that it will impose sanctions on the NATO-member country and exclude it from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program if Ankara doesn’t drop its S-400 purchase.

Washington says the Russian S-400s are incompatible with NATO equipment and may lead to Russia acquiring sensitive data concerning the F-35s.

Turkey has refused to bow to U.S. pressure, saying its defense purchase is a matter of national sovereignty and that the agreement with Russia is a commercial deal it can’t cancel.

ISTANBUL — For the third straight day, Russia has delivered components of its S-400 air defense system to Turkey.

Turkey’s Defense Ministry tweeted Sunday about the landing of a fifth and sixth Russian cargo planes at Murted Air Base, near the capital, Ankara. It said two more planes were expected within hours.

The deliveries for the Russian-made defense system, which is driving a rift between Turkey and the United States, began Friday.

The United States has repeatedly warned it will impose economic sanctions and kick Turkey out of the F-35 stealth fighter jet program if Ankara does not drop its S-400 purchase.

Turkey, a fellow NATO nation, has refused to bow to U.S. pressure, saying its defense purchase is a matter of national sovereignty.

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Source/Contribution/Photo Credit by Associated Press