Then they need to speed up on AESA, i dont think F35 will solve anything except costing overtly. But yes to counter Greek Rafale they will need a solution
Turkey Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
It'll take Turkey years to make AESA. Also they'll need permission from US to upgrade Turkey's F-16 with AESA and US won't allow that because CAATSA because Turkey bought S-400 and refuses to deactivate it.
Yea, correct. I wonder if they will go russian.
Not really. Turkey's regional rival Egypt uses MiG-29M/M2 and Su-35S. Egypt knows all the weaknesses of Russian jets. They might go for Chinese.
Their LHD is only 230 m long. I doubt J-15s can take off with any practical stores, considering CV1/2 are 300m long. My estimate is they will stick to helicopter + UAV.
I thought he was talking about buying for air force to counter Greece and Egypt's Rafales. Obviously neither Russia nor China have any STOVL jets.
Skywatcher
Captain
There's no way that the Greeks are going to actually be able to afford the F-35 in the forseeable future (as opposed to sign a letter of intent for propaganda purposes).
Not to mention that a S-400's radar from Turkish territory can cover virtually all of Greece.
S-400 is pretty old system. It's souped up S-300, originally designated S-300PM3 before renamed S-400 for marketing purpose. Also, it's PESA which can be jammed by Rafale's AESA. Not to mention modern air launched cruise missiles carried on Rafale can decimate S-400 without the latter even knowing what hit it, as demonstrated in Azerbaijan where Armenian S-300 were decimated by Turkish drones. Air defense is vulnerable to air strike if they are not protected by powerful air cover. Turkey's F-16 with obsolete radar is no match for Egypt and Greece's AESA equipped Rafale.
Skywatcher
Captain
If the US is concerned about the S-400 radar compromising the F-35 (and the S-400 radars can cover virtually all of Greece), then they're not going to risk it. And the US will likely feel the same about the S-300 PMU-1's radars vis a vis the F-35 as well.
CAATSA sanction on Turkey has nothing to do with S-400. Even if Turkey bought obsolete S-300 it will also be same sanction. It is US law which sanctions countries that buy from Russia because Russia is rival of US. The case of Greek S-300 is different in that Greece never bought S-300 from Russia but rather from Cyprus. Hence Greece is not subject to CAATSA the way Turkey is subject to CAATSA considering Turkey bought from Russia, not from Cyprus. Had Turkey bought S-400 from China instead of from Russia Turkey would not be subject to CAATSA and will be flying F-35 today.