Turkish S-400 Deployment in Syria Sets Deadly Trap for Israeli Jets, Igniting Regional Security Crisis ??

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – Russian analysts have described Turkey’s planned deployment of the Russian-made S-400 Triumf long-range air defence system to Syria as a strategic “trap” specifically designed to counter the escalating Israeli airstrikes against targets within the Arab nation.

The establishment of an air defence “umbrella” combining Turkey’s short, medium, and long-range systems aims to shield Syrian territory comprehensively from aerial threats, primarily from Israeli fighter jets.

Russian defence analyst Igor Subbotin, writing for the respected news portal Nezavizimaya Gazeta, revealed that Turkey is preparing to relocate the S-400 battery to a strategic airbase within Syria’s contested Homs region.

The airbase identified, widely speculated to be T-4 or Tiyas Airbase, was historically the largest operational airbase under the Assad regime’s air force, making it strategically critical.

Situated north of Tiyas and just west of the iconic ancient city of Palmyra, T-4 Airbase also historically hosted Soviet-era Russian fighter aircraft deployments in the 1970s and 1980s.

In recent years, Iranian forces have utilized T-4 Airbase extensively for launching operations against ISIS, underlining its enduring strategic significance within the regional security context.

International reports suggest Turkey intends to transform T-4 into a formidable layered air defence hub, designed explicitly to bolster the defence posture of Syria’s new administration against recurrent Israeli incursions.

Central to this defence strategy is the advanced S-400 Triumf system, comprising sophisticated integrated elements including the 91N6E “Big Bird” radar capable of detecting airborne targets at ranges up to 600 km.

The system’s targeting precision is further enhanced by the 92N6E “Grave Stone” fire-control radar, specifically engineered to lock onto and precisely guide interceptor missiles towards designated threats.

Adding to the multi-layered detection network, the 96L6E “Cheese Board” radar offers reliable mid-range tracking capabilities, covering a radius of approximately 300 km, thereby significantly enhancing operational accuracy.

The S-400 arsenal includes mobile transporter erector launchers (TEL) loaded with various ready-to-fire missiles, centrally coordinated through the fully automated 55K6E command and control centre.

Among the diverse missile variants employed are the powerful 40N6 (400 km), 48N6 (250 km), and the versatile 9M96 (40–120 km), making the S-400 highly adept at simultaneously engaging multiple aerial threats under any weather conditions.

The S-400 Triumf, developed by the renowned Russian defence giant Almaz-Antey, responsible for the earlier S-300 and the more recent S-500 Prometey systems, reflects cutting-edge aerospace and air defence technological expertise.

Turkey’s strategic decision to procure the S-400 system from Russia in December 2017, under a significant US$2.5 billion (RM11 billion) deal, marked a pivotal shift in Ankara’s defence and diplomatic orientation.

This procurement emerged after failed attempts by Turkey to secure the US-made Patriot missile defence system, underscoring Ankara’s urgent imperative to bolster air defence capabilities amid the Syrian conflict and tense relations with Russia.

The decision sharply intensified diplomatic friction with the United States and NATO, both of which regard the integration of Russian air defence technology as incompatible and potentially compromising NATO’s sensitive operational security.

In response, Washington expelled Turkey from the advanced F-35 stealth fighter program in July 2019 and imposed economic sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) in December 2020.

CAATSA, enacted in 2017 by the US Congress, specifically targets nations engaging with defence sectors of Russia, Iran, and North Korea, strategically aiming to economically isolate Moscow while inadvertently straining relations with key NATO allies like Turkey.

Despite intense international pressure, Turkey persisted with the acquisition, receiving its first S-400 battery delivery in July 2019, reaffirming its commitment to strategic autonomy and a diversified defence policy approach.

In parallel, Turkey plans to reinforce its air defence strategy by deploying domestically produced HISAR air defence systems, potentially the medium-range HISAR-O or short-range HISAR-A variants, further fortifying T-4 Airbase and dominating the regional airspace.

The HISAR system, developed collaboratively since 2011 by leading Turkish defence contractors ROKETSAN and ASELSAN, achieved a significant milestone with the successful test of its HISAR-O missile in 2014.

Designed explicitly as part of a multi-tiered defence framework (HISAR-A short-range, HISAR-O medium-range, and HISAR-U long-range), the HISAR-O comprises sophisticated missiles, mobile launch platforms based on Mercedes-Benz 6×6 trucks, advanced fire control systems, radar, and electro-optical sensors.

The ASELSAN KALKAN phased-array 3D radar integrated into HISAR-O offers exceptional tracking capabilities, simultaneously managing up to 60 targets over distances reaching 60 km, effectively neutralizing aerial threats within a 25 km engagement envelope and altitudes up to 10 km.

However, Turkey’s strategic ambitions were severely disrupted by preemptive Israeli airstrikes targeting T-4 Airbase, severely damaging essential infrastructure such as runways, control towers, hangars, and Syrian Air Force assets.

“It was a clear message that Israel would not tolerate an expanding Turkish presence,” remarked an intelligence official analyzing the scale of destruction from reconnaissance imagery.

Syrian sources aligned with Ankara confirmed to Reuters that “T-4 Airbase is now completely unusable due to the Israeli strikes,” significantly escalating tensions between Ankara and Tel Aviv.

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry swiftly condemned the Israeli action, branding Israel “the greatest threat to regional security.”

Turkey and Israel are engaging in diplomatic efforts aimed at reducing military tensions in Syria, lowering the potential for conflict between these two key U.S. allies whose relations have been strained since the outbreak of the Gaza war in 2023.

Officials from both countries held meetings on Wednesday in Azerbaijan to establish mechanisms intended to prevent clashes between Turkish and Israeli forces operating in Syria, as confirmed by statements from their respective governments.

The Israeli delegation was led by National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi, according to a statement issued by the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Since the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad late last year, Israel and Turkey have pursued competing strategic interests within the country.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry has reported that Israeli fighter jets carried out airstrikes on a Syrian airbase, which Turkey allegedly seeks to utilize to expand its regional influence.

Israel remains concerned that Syria’s new Islamist leadership could pose heightened security threats along its borders and has consequently established a buffer zone within Syrian territory.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s growing influence as a central actor in Syria has heightened Israeli anxieties regarding an expanded Turkish military footprint.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that the establishment of Turkish military bases in Syria would constitute a “danger to Israel.”

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA