S-400 is already in Turkey. Complete triumph!
On July 12, as part of the fulfillment of contractual obligations, the Rostec state corporation delivered the first batch of components of the S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system to Turkey.
Open sources report that a contract for the supply of four divisions of Russian air defense systems to Turkey in the amount of $2,5 billion was signed in December 2017.
One of the pleasant features of the contract was that the money was paid by the Turkish side in Russian national currency.
That is, the United States not only could not interfere with the execution of the contract, but also did not receive anything from this deal, as if the S-400 were paid in dollars.
From the very beginning, Washington reacted extremely negatively to the news that one of the key NATO members, Turkey, would soon receive a Russian air defense system, significantly different in terms of standards and efficiency from the American Patriot air defense system.
Until the last moment, the United States put pressure on Turkey, trying to use carrots and sticks to force Erdogan to abandon the deal. Ankara was offered to buy the quantity of Patriot complexes required by its military at a significant discount. After the Turkish side refused with the comment “Russian weapons are better and cheaper,” Washington threatened to exclude the country from the F-35 fighter-bomber joint production program and economic sanctions.
Although Turkey participated in the consortium to develop the F-35, spending more than $1 billion, the contract for the acquisition of the S-400 poses a barrier to rearming the Turkish Air Force with the planned 116 F-35 aircraft.
It is clear that such a situation does not please Ankara and does not add warmth to the already icy relations with Washington.
True, the United States also incurs some costs as a result of the squabble over the F-35, since the media reported that the US Department of Defense made budget adjustments, requesting $206 million from the Ministry of Finance for Turkish “import substitution” in production cooperation on the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter .
Proposed S-400 deployment sites in Turkey.
After the G20 summit in Osaka, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that American leader Donald Trump promised him not to impose sanctions against Ankara. At the same time, Trump absolved himself of all blame for the conflict around the S-400, placing it on his predecessor Obama, emphasizing that “Turkey was treated unfairly.”
However, in a July 13 editorial from CNN, “Turkey has acquired Russian S-400 missiles designed to shoot down NATO aircraft. And this is a problem for America,” it is said that the United States still intends to punish Turkey with sanctions.
The question arises, what kind of problems does Turkey’s acquisition and deployment of purely defensive air defense systems pose for the United States? The article gives an answer that is astounding in its deceit and cynicism.
It turns out that the S-400 deployed in the unstable region threatens the Middle East with even greater destabilization. Because they are Russian-made and outshine the American Patriot missile systems that “stabilize” the region and shoot missiles at the “milk”?
Equally alarmingly, a CNN editorial suggests that India is next in line to receive the S-400.
The first unpleasant bell for Turkey has already sounded: the US State Department has approved the sale of seven MH-60R Seahawk naval helicopters to the “sworn Turkish ally” Greece. In addition to the vehicles, the contract also includes the supply of 10 APS-I 53(V) multifunctional radars, 18 T700 GE-401 engines, and other equipment.
In Turkey, they expected something similar from “Big Brother,” but they tried not to flaunt negative emotions for the time being. July 12 News No. 1 in the Turkish media was the arrival in the country of Russian Ruslan and Il-76 transport aircraft with the first batch of S-400 components.
National television channels and newspapers were full of screenshots of the Flightradar application, reporting the approach of Russian aircraft in real time.
At 1.40 pm local time, the Turkish Anadolu news agency released a message that the S-400 cargo had been delivered to the Murted airbase.
In order to once again remind citizens that with the adoption of Russian S-400 air defense systems by the Turkish army, Turkey's defense capability will only increase, and costs can be neglected, Turkish media published infographics about the effectiveness of the Triumph, and at the same time reminded of the uncompetitiveness of the American Patriot system ", showing footage of an anti-aircraft missile fired by the Saudis in a combat situation that had lost its target, changing its flight path and falling on residential areas.
The press also carefully monitored the process of unloading S-400 components delivered to Turkey, and then monitored the return route of Russian aircraft.
The arrival of the S-400 also sparked enthusiasm in Turkish society. Ordinary Turks thanked Russia, Putin, the Russian defense industry for the miraculous air defense systems, and the famous Turkish confectioner Hasan Adjar, in a fit of gratitude, personally made and sent by courier to the Kremlin traditional baked goods in the form of the inscription “PUTIN.” In general, the national holiday was a success.
TASS, citing a military-diplomatic source, reports that a second plane with air defense system components will arrive in Turkey in the near future, and 120 missiles for the S-400 will be delivered by sea.
At the moment, the main intrigue is in which areas of Turkey the Triumph complexes will be deployed. According to military experts, the S-400 will be located in the vicinity of the cities of Izmir and Diyarbakir, covering the western and southeastern directions, respectively, almost completely covering the country’s airspace.
In general, on July 12, 2019, it became finally clear that the S-400 in Turkey is not a bluff or a newspaper duck.
The event, however, flooded social networks with alarming whispers from vigilant citizens: “Well, now expect a crowd of NATO troops with wrenches to appear next to our S-400s,” and also, “We are selling our miracle weapons to the Turks, but they do not recognize Crimea , in Syria they support their barmalei, they associate with Ukraine. And in general, their Erdogan is going to revive the Ottoman Empire.”
These worried responses already appeared two years ago, when the Russian-Turkish contract for the supply of S-400 had just become known.
Then a Rostec representative explained that the Triumphs are being transferred to Turkey and will be put into service by it, but this does not mean that they will disappear from the field of view of Russian specialists. The agreement implies inspection of all air defense systems components supplied to Turkey, including the safety of factory seals and structural integrity. In addition, the Russian side will provide warranty service for the S-400.
That is, our equipment sold to Turkey will remain under our control. This is a worldwide practice, and the contract simply could not be signed without such a clause.
As for Erdogan’s plans, no one, in general, is deluded with the Turkish president and the regime he established. Turkey was, is and remains a member of NATO, with the strongest army among the European members of the alliance, with its own geopolitical interests.
Actually, Turkey’s national interests contain all the raisins.
It is already obvious that Turkey, unlike other members of the Atlantic alliance, is not going to mindlessly dance to the American tune, mindlessly absorbing everything that the Hegemon palms off. It is noticeable that Turkey, after the incident with a Russian front-line bomber in Syria, is carefully trying to avoid confrontation with Russia, expelling American advisers from the country and preventing the United States from setting up a nuclear bomb storage facility at the Incirlik airbase.
The Akkuyu nuclear power plant under construction and the South Stream gas pipeline, which Bulgaria so unwisely abandoned, increases Turkey’s regional status, further softening its policy towards Russia. Again, the lesson of 2016 with tourists and Turkey tomatoes has been learned. Despite a number of still unresolved contradictions, relations between Russia and Turkey have never been as close as they are today.
And getting one of the key NATO players hooked on Russian weapons systems is an achievement in itself - to enter the clearing where the Americans previously reigned supreme. The United States is already saying that the start of deliveries of the S-400 will certainly have a negative impact on their future relations with Turkey. NATO is also “deeply concerned” about the supply of Russian air defense systems to Turkey.
How many times has our country driven a wedge between the United States and its strategic allies? This means we are doing everything right. The crack must be carefully deepened and widened. It is possible that other NATO members will want to follow the Turkish path, defending the right to the security of their country to the detriment of the United States.
The political situation that arose with the arrival of the S-400 air defense system in Turkey is well described in the final part of the above-mentioned CNN article by statements of Turkish and American officials.
Thus, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar claims that the presence of Russian air defense systems “will not in any way affect Turkey’s strategic orientation,” but the State Department and American analysts shake their heads reproachfully and say that “that Erdogan and the ruling party of Turkey do not value relations with The United States, as previously believed in Washington,” and also, “for the future, American policy must take into account the fact that Turkey, although not an enemy of America, is not a friend either.”
That is, as soon as Washington has the opportunity to make a fool of Turkey, it will do it with pleasure. “Neither friend nor enemy, but so...”
In general, it turned out well. July 12, 2019 was, without exaggeration, the Turkish triumph of the Russian “Triumph”.
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