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Turkey's foreign policy, as stated by officials in various platforms, is defined by multidimensional diplomacy, and so in supplying its defense needs, Turkey gets in touch with any partner it sees fit to carry out negotiations. While building such channels of dialogue, Turkey aims to maintain equally strong relations with other powers with which it develops military, economic and diplomatic ties. Thus, the country maintains a balance that helps it not be dependent on a single power.

In this regard, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Friday that Turkey needs both Russian-made S-400 air defense systems and U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, adding that it was not acceptable for the country to accept the U.S.' impositions.

In December, Turkey officially signed a $2.5 billion agreement with Russia for the S-400s – Russia's most advanced long-range anti-aircraft missile system. With the move, Turkey is set to become the first NATO member country to acquire the system. Turkey's interest in the Russian systems started due to Washington's indifferent attitude on technology transfer in the case of a possible purchase of the American-made Raytheon Patriot missiles. Turkish officials said in July that Ankara may consider buying Patriot missiles but it won't consider them as an alternative to the Russian S-400 system.

With the S-400s, Ankara aims to build Turkey's first long-range air and anti-missile defense system to boost its defense capabilities amid threats from PKK and Daesh terrorists at home and conflicts across its borders in Syria and Iraq.

"Turkey needs S-400 missiles and the deal is done, we will procure them as soon as possible," Erdoğan said at a graduation ceremony for non-commissioned officers in western Balıkesir province.

"Turkey, which is already a project partner, also needs F-35 fighter jets, its domestically-developed planes and planes developed with other countries. We have paid $900 million so far [for F-35's] and continue to pay as installments come due," Erdoğan added, but noted that the country would procure jets elsewhere if the U.S. halts the delivery of the F-35 fighter jets.

Turkish officials have repeatedly stressed the fact that ties with other countries are not seen as alternatives to one another and that Turkey's diplomacy is based on mutual advantage. As well as its diplomatic and economic ties, the country pursues this balance policy in meeting its defense needs.

The U.S. has expressed concern that NATO ally Turkey's planned deployment of the S-400s could risk the security of some U.S.-made weapons and other technology used by Turkey, including the F-35s. The spat came at a time when the two allies are at odds over a number of issues, including the U.S.' support for the PKK terrorist group's Syrian offshoot the People's Protection Units (YPG), the extradition of Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) leader Fetullah Gülen and the arrest of American pastor Andrew Brunson who is being tried on terror and espionage charges.

Erdoğan said that the U.S. or other Western countries blocked arms sales with lame excuses when Turkey needed them, but start a row when the country wants to procure these weapons from elsewhere.

"Do you know what they were doing when [southern Turkish provinces] Kilis, Gaziantep, Reyhanlı and Kırıkhan were being attacked from Syria by 127 rocket, artillery or mortar attacks, and seven citizens lost their lives and 125 others were injured? They were pulling back air defense systems previously deployed in our country," he said.

"They gave away weapons that they did not sell to us with money to terror groups for free."

The president also said the Turkish lira was being targeted in an operation but that Turkey will overcome this attack and the currency volatility will pass.

He said Turkey was taking the necessary measures in response to the lira slide and it was starting to see concrete results from these steps.

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Jura said:

interestingly,
Turkey can’t accept US impositions, needs both S-400 and F-35s, Erdoğan says

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Turkish defense minister calls NATO, US concerns on Russian S-400 missiles ‘irrelevant,’ as they operate independently

Installation of a Russian-bought missile defense system in Turkey will begin a year from now, in October 2019, according to the Turkish defense minister.

“As of October 2019, installation operations will begin” for the Russian S-400 system, Hulusi Akar told Anadolu Agency on Thursday.

“Currently, we are in process of selecting personnel.”

“The selected personnel will be sent for training in Russia from the beginning of 2019,” Akar said. “They will get the necessary training there and then they will come back for duty.”

Last December, Turkey announced it had concluded an agreement with Russia to buy two S-400 systems by early 2020. This April both parties agreed on early delivery of the systems.

The S-400 is Russia's most advanced long-range anti-aircraft missile system, with the ability to carry three types of missiles capable of destroying targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles.

Akar gave no details about where the Russian system will be established, saying the decision is still ongoing by the Turkish Air Forces Command.

In June, the U.S. Senate passed a bill prohibiting sales to Turkey of F-35 jets, citing the S-400 purchase as well as Turkey’s detention of U.S. citizens.

Saying that the anti-aircraft missile system will be used independently from NATO systems, Akar said: “We find U.S. and NATO concerns [about the S-400] irrelevant.”

“We never allow any interference in U.S. or NATO systems,” he said, adding “this was not a matter of preference [but] it was a necessity.”

Akar said that Turkey wants to also be a producer, not just a buyer, of these systems, stressing that it will continue working on projects that incorporate Turkish collaboration in production.

US F-35 jets

On the delivery of the U.S. F-35 fighter jets, Akar said: “We do not expect any negativity on this issue.”

"Two F-35s were delivered to us in June,” at a ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas, he said, telling how two Turkish pilots went to the U.S. to train on the new jets.

Akar said that when the F-35 jets are brought to Turkey, they will be deployed in the central Anatolian province of Malatya. “Extensive infrastructure work in the area is continuing,” he said.

“There are no bumps in the project, it continues as planned,” he said. “The third and fourth jets will be delivered next March.”

In the years to come, Ankara plans to acquire 100 F-35 fighter jets.

Earlier this month, U.S. Vice Admiral Mat Winter, executive officer for the F-35 program, addressed a legal provision banning F-35 sales to Turkey until a report on Turkish-American relations is issued.

“The Pentagon must submit a report to Congress within 90 days of the 2019 Defense Authorization Act being enacted," he said.

The F-35, a stealth jet built by Lockheed Martin, is considered one of the most expensive pieces of U.S. military equipment, with an average cost of around $100 million.

Turkey has been in the F-35 program since 1999. The Turkish defense industry has taken an active role in their production, including Alp Aviation, AYESAS, Kale Aviation, Kale Pratt & Whitney, and Turkish Aerospace Industries making parts for the first F-35 fighter jet.

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Jura said:

Sep 3, 2018
so (dated 25.10.2018)
Russian S-400 setup in Turkey to start in October 2019

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Turkey will begin locally deploying the

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air defense architecture in October 2019, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Thursday.

Despite

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, 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.

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.

Akar said Turkey faces a missile threat — without naming the origin of the threat — adding that “we must counter that threat.”

“Our talks with a U.S. and a French-Italian supplier (of air defense systems) have not yielded desired results,” the defense minister said, referring to Turkey’s earlier talks with a team of U.S. companies — Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, who co-produce the Patriot system — and Eurosam — who makes the SAMP/T system. But two Turkish companies are still in talks with Eurosam for the development and co-production of a “national air defense system” for Turkey.

Akar said a contract for the S-400 deal was already signed with Rosoboronexport, Russia’s main arms export agency. “The agreed timetable is moving ahead as scheduled,” he added.

Akar also said the program is at the stage of “selecting personnel” for the deployment and operation of the S-400 system.

The contract involves the acquisition of one S-400 system with an option to purchase a second system.

Turkey’s decision to negotiate and go for the S-400 system emerged shortly after Ankara and Moscow normalized their badly strained ties in June 2016. Russia sanctioned Turkey after the latter’s military shot down a Russian Su-24 military aircraft along Turkey’s border with Syria in November 2015.

After the normalization of diplomatic relations, Turkey has cooperated with Russia in

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. In return, Russia gradually removed sanctions and allowed Turkey to launch a cross-border operation into northwestern Syria in January, targeting Kurdish militias stationed in the area.

Turkish defense procurement bureaucracy says the $2.5 billion S-400 system would be operated by Turkish personnel and would be supported by a locally developed identification friend or foe, or IFF, system. Turkey wants to make the S-400 a standalone system it can operate with its own source codes, including the IFF.

Turkey will have to operate the S-400 on a standalone basis because the system cannot be made interoperable with NATO and U.S. assets deployed in Turkish territory.

NATO officials have warned of

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for Turkey should the alliance member purchase the Russian air defense system.

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