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Turkey turns to Russia for air defense systems
April 30, 2017, 9:17 am

With a range of 400 kilometers, S-400 Triumf is designed to shield from air strikes, strategic, cruise, tactical and operating tactical ballistic missiles and medium-range ballistic missiles [Xinhua]


Turkey has become the latest country to buy Russia’s advanced S-400 anti-missile air defense system.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Turkish media over the weekend that he had reached an agreement in principle with Moscow on delivery of the weapons system and that Ankara was currently negotiating the price tag.

Turkey, which is a prominent member of the Western-led NATO alliance, is seeking to boost its air defense stature, he told the Turkish daily Milliyet.

Cavusoglu appeared to indicate that Turkey could not find a supplier of advanced air defense systems among NATO members.

The S-400 is believed to be able to engage all types of aerial targets including aircraft and VLO (Very Low Observable) craft.

The S-400s popularity lies in the fact it can shield from air strikes and neutralise drones as well as strategic, cruise, tactical and operating tactical ballistic missiles and medium-range ballistic missiles within a range of 400 kms up to an altitude of close to 32 kms.

The S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence missile systems is equipped with three different types of missiles and an acquisition radar capable of tracking up to 300 targets within the range of nearly 600 kms.

Triumf is a system made of eight launchers and a control station.

Turkey follows China (in 2015) and India (in 2016) as major customers for the S-400.

Read more: S300, 400 missile systems to protect Russians in Syria

The BRICS Post with inputs from Agencies