Turkey has no hesitations on the Russian S-400 missile defence systems and is waiting on the ongoing process over the second regiment S-400s, the country’s top defence procurement official said on Tuesday.
All talks between Ankara and Moscow were over two systems, T24 news site cited the Director of the Turkish Defence Industry Administration Ismail Demir as saying, noting that Turkey was waiting on procedural developments after procuring the first system.
“The first system was procured and delivered. There are common production, some technological issues, and some details regarding the second system that should be resolved,’’ Demir said.
Turkey’s purchase of the Russian systems in 2019 has caused tensions between Turkey and the United States, which maintains the S-400 is incompatible with NATO systems and poses a security risk to its F-35 fighter jets. Washington has sanctioned Ankara and removed it from its F-35 fighter jet programme over the acquisition.
Turkey, for its part, maintains the S-400s will not be integrated into NATO and purchasing them was a necessity as it was unable to procure air defence systems from any NATO ally on satisfactory terms.
Demir also dismissed reports that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would ink a new deal for the second regiment of S-400s during his visit to Russia at the end of the month, saying no such agreement was necessary.
‘’An agreement has already been reached regarding two systems,’’ Demir said.