{"id":21567,"date":"2018-10-26T14:31:49","date_gmt":"2018-10-26T14:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/10\/26\/turkey-defense-minister-announces-timeline-for-s-400-deployment\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:54:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:54:34","slug":"turkey-defense-minister-announces-timeline-for-s-400-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/land\/2018\/10\/26\/turkey-defense-minister-announces-timeline-for-s-400-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkey defense minister announces timeline for S-400 deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ANKARA, Turkey \u2014 Turkey will begin locally deploying the Russian-made S-400<\/a> air defense architecture in October 2019, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite strong pressure from its NATO allies<\/a>, most notably the United States, Turkey said in December it finalized a contract for the acquisition and deployment of the Russian long-range air and anti-missile defense system. This will be the first time a NATO member state deploys the Russian S-400 system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response, the U.S. Congress passed a bill that may block the delivery of F-35 jets to Joint Strike Fighter consortium member Turkey. Ankara has committed to buying at least 100 F-35s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akar said Turkey faces a missile threat \u2014 without naming the origin of the threat \u2014 adding that \u201cwe must counter that threat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur talks with a U.S. and a French-Italian supplier (of air defense systems) have not yielded desired results,\u201d the defense minister said, referring to Turkey\u2019s earlier talks with a team of U.S. companies \u2014 Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, who co-produce the Patriot system \u2014 and Eurosam \u2014 who makes the SAMP\/T system. But two Turkish companies are still in talks with Eurosam for the development and co-production of a \u201cnational air defense system\u201d for Turkey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Akar said a contract for the S-400 deal was already signed with Rosoboronexport, Russia\u2019s main arms export agency. \u201cThe agreed timetable is moving ahead as scheduled,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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(Devan Feeney\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Akar also said the program is at the stage of \u201cselecting personnel\u201d for the deployment and operation of the S-400 system.<\/p>\n\n\n\t