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Defense & Security News - Turkey
 
Russia and Turkey progress in talks for the purchase of S-400 air defense missile system.
Moscow and Ankara have made progress at the talks on the possible sale of Russian-made S-400 (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) air defense missile systems but no agreement has been signed yet, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said.
     
     
"Progress has been made at the talks but the sides have not reached the stage of signing the relevant agreement. The talks on the issue are under way," Anadolu news agency quoted the Turkish defense minister as saying.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to the Izvestiya newspaper that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan had discussed the possibility of delivering S-400 systems to Turkey at the talks in Moscow.

According to the newspaper, Turkey is discussing the contract value and the equipment of the S-400 systems that may be delivered.

Earlier, CEO of Russia’s state hi-tech corporation Rostec Sergei Chemezov said that Turkey had expressed a wish to obtain a loan from Russia to purchase weapons, including S-400 air defense missile systems.

In February, Chemezov said that Turkey had shown interest in the S-400 system and was in talks with Russia on the possible delivery.

Turkey has no plans to integrate Russian-made S-400 (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) air defense missile systems into the NATO missile defense system, if they are purchased, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said.

The S-400 is an surface-to-air defense missile system designed and manufactured by the Russian Company Almaz-Antey. The S-400 entered service with the Russian Armed Forces on April 28, 2007, replacing the S-300 air defense system.

Turkey could be the third foreign customer of the Russian-made S-400 air defense missile system after China and India.
     
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