Sputnik quoted Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler as saying that the US has refused to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey for many years, on the condition that Turkey must abandon the Russian-made S-400 air defense system. However, recently, Washington has changed its stance and is no longer against it.
According to Mr. Guler, this change comes after the US realized that Turkey had the ability to develop its own stealth fighter Jets, a product of the Turkish Aerospace Industries Group.
Mr. Guler confirmed that Turkey's S-400 air defense system has been put into operation and can be deployed within 12 hours of being ordered.
The S-400 Triumph, produced by Russian defense corporation Almaz-Antey, is a long-range surface-to-air missile system that has been in use since 2007. The system is capable of destroying enemy aircraft and missiles at a distance of 400km and an altitude of 30km.
Turkey signed a contract to purchase the S-400 in 2017, but is not the first country to own the system.
China signed a contract to purchase the S-400 from Russia in 2014. With India, the deal was signed in 2018.
Algeria joined the S-400 club in 2021 with a multi-billion dollar deal. Meanwhile, Belarus received two S-400 systems for free from Russia in 2016.
Currently, at least 13 countries, including Qatar, Egypt, Morocco and Iraq, are said to be interested or in discussions with Russia to buy the S-400.
The S-400 is designed to detect, track and destroy many types of targets in the air, including aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and even stealth aircraft. This system not only protects important areas but also enhances airspace control in modern warfare situations.
The system can simultaneously track 300 targets and attack 36 targets at the same time, increasing air defense effectiveness in coordinated attacks.
The S-400 can attack targets at altitudes from 10m to 30km, suitable for both low-altitude and ballistic missile threats.
Thanks to the use of multi-mode radar and a modern command system, the S-400 is capable of attacking targets with outstanding accuracy, even in environments with electronic jamming.
