Turkey’s trouble nowadays is to choose the best option without hurting no one, in order to take under guarantee its nation and soils against to threats which may be run into in the future by allies or non-allies countries. Trouble has two wings actually, on the one side, as a production and development partner of F-35 Lightning II Project which has been supported by Turkey since the beginning of the Project and are still supported highly by Turkish firms such as Alp Aviation, Havelsan, Turkish Aerospace Industries(TAI), Roketsan, Tubitak-Sage and Kale Aerospace.On the other side S-400 missile system which may take Turkey’s airspace under guarantee for long terms in order not to see any other promises which have not been kept by allies of the Turkey, especially upon the topic of Patriot Missile system. So what is that ornate S-400?
S-400 Triumph, with the NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler is a mobile surface-to-air missile system which has been developed upon S-300 missiles and still on duty with the purpose of procurement of Russia’s air defence necessities, if needed.S400 missiles are in service since 2007.The ornate boy has 4 missiles on one carrier as 40N6 very long rage (400 kilometres), long rage 48N6 (250 kilometres), medium range 9M96E2 (120 kilometres) and short range 9M96E (40 km).According to The Economist, S-400 system is ‘one of the best air-defence systems currently made’
When we look at the chart which I’ve given below, we can clearly see that S-400 air defence system’s range totally satisfies Turkey’s interests in a broad sense.
Actually while even this chart was explaining many things, there are more reasons pushing up Turkey to get this S-400 systems. Actually, as a party which is highly encouraging the sale of Patriot systems to a NATO ally, to Turkey, instead of letting the Turkish party to buy S-400 systems, United States does not approach to share of technical features of Patriots. In addition to this, high costs of the Patriot systems and its maintenance, totally pushed up Turkey to seek his necessities with the alternative parties that may be agreed.
Russia has evaluated this chance in a good way with the purpose of supplying air defence systems to NATO ally countries like he’s done in the past while they were selling S300 missiles to a Slovakia, Bulgaria and Greece. Offer took Turkey’s attention due to fulfilment of expectations in terms of shipment, joint production and technology transfer.
In the days which we have learned as an assertion that 100 Turkish military personnel are going to go to Russia in order to get an education for the usage and maintenance of the system, it seems like there is no return after on this joint reached level.
