(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — A former Turkiye cabinet minister sparked a debate in the country recently, when he publicly suggested that the country sell its Russian-made long-range air defense system, the S-400 “Triumf” to a third party such as India or Pakistan.
The former cabinet minister, Cavit Caglar, said that only by selling the Russian-made long-range air defense system to a third party, would Turkey be able to improve relations with the United States and be allowed to buy the fifth generation fighter aircraft, the F-35.
He does not see any solution to the F-35 acquisition issue if Turkey continues to have the Russian-made S-400.
Although initially, Turkiye was happy with the acquisition of the S-400 but now there are questions about the integration of the air defense system with other Turkiye air defense systems and the strategic value of the Russian-made defense system.
Although it has been in possession of the S-400 air defense system for several years, Turkiye has reportedly not yet activated the system in the country’s overall defense strategy.
The S-400 system belonging to Turkiye is reported to be stored in a secret location and has not yet been operated.
The Russian air defense system was also set aside and not integrated in the Turkish layered air defense system called “Steel Dome” which was introduced by the Mediterranean country recently.
According to information by the Turkiye defense media, the “Steel Dome” air defense system was developed by the Turkiye defense industry and combines various air defense systems developed by the country.
The air defense systems include — KORKUT, HİSAR-A+, GÖKDEMİR, GÖKER, GÖKBERK, HİSAR-O+ and SİPER will be able to operate in an integrated manner.
In addition, radar components, electro-optical systems tasked with identifying, tracking and classifying targets will also work in an integrated manner within the Steel Dome Layered Air Defense System.
There has been much speculation regarding Turkey’s re-participation in the F-35 fighter jet program since US Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland stated at the end of January that Washington was ready to “re-accept” the Mediterranean country into the fifth-generation fighter jet program.
“If we can solve the issue of the S-400 air defense system (made in Russia bought by Turkiye), where do we (the United States) want to solve it. The United States is very pleased to welcome Turkiye back into the F-35 family.”
“If we can overcome this issue, the CAATSA issue will disappear and we can return to discussions about the F-35,” he said.
The statement made by Nuland has raised many questions and concerns in Turkiye.
The United States ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake a few months ago also stated that Nuland, when he visited Turkey last January, had “suggested a solution” to the F-35 procurement issue by the Mediterranean country.
Last year, Turkish Foreign Minister at the time, Mavlut Cavusoglu stated that the United States had urged Ankara to send the S-400 air defense system it acquired from Russia to Ukraine.
However, Ankara has rejected the “request” from Washington.
“We were also offered to send the S-400 system to Ukraine, but we can’t do it,” he told Turkiye television station, Haberturk.
Acquired in 2019, the Turkish-acquired S-400 defense system has been a source of strained relations between Ankara and Washington.
Ankara signed an agreement with Moscow in 2017 to acquire the S-400 system estimated to be worth US$2.5 billion (RM10 billion).
The first regiment of the S-400 system was delivered to Turkiye in 2019.
Turkiye decided to get the S-400 air defense system after its negotiations to get the Patriot air defense system from the United States failed.
The United States did not give a reason why it refused to sell the Patriot air defense system to Turkey.
The failure to acquire the Patriot air defense system made Turkey determined to get the S-400 from Russia which offered Ankara an attractive package including technology transfer and making the missile system in Turkey itself.
Turkey conducted a test firing of the S-400 missile in Sinop late last year.
Due to Turkiye’s “stubbornness” to acquire the S-400 air defense system, Ankara suffered the consequences when it was removed from the F-35 fifth generation fighter jet development program.
Turkey was also not allowed to proceed with the purchase of 100 F-35 aircraft even though it had paid an advance payment of US$1.4 billion.
In fact, six of Turkiye’s F-35 aircraft have already been built in the United States, but are now lying in the hangar in that country, due to Washington’s decision to impose military sanctions on Ankara. — DSA