Erdogan: Turkey will receive the first shipment of Russian S-400 missile systems in summer
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated in an interview with Channel Haberturk that Russia will start supplying S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to Turkey in July this year.
He noted that he has already told US President Donald Trump about the completion of the deal and that he is not going to cancel it. “We have made the purchase. Stepping back is out of the question. Russia will start supplies of the surface-to-air missile systems in July this year. I told Trump about this,” Erdogan said.
Earlier, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated that there are no problems with the implementation of the program to develop and produce fifth-generation F-35 fighter planes. Pilots and technical personnel from Turkey continue training in the USA, the Defense Minister stated. He noted that Turkey will receive the first F-35 in November. The aircraft will arrive in the airbase in the Turkish city of Мalatya.
Erdoğan stated on March 9 that the purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems does not impact the security of NATO, the United States or the deal with fifth-generation F-35 fighters, which Turkey expects to receive from Washington.
Russia and Turkey concluded the S-400 contract with an order for four divisions of the missile systems valued at $2.5 billion.
Turkey is planning to purchase dozens of F-35 multirole fighters from the USA and is a key manufacturer of several components for this aircraft. However, the deployment of the S-400 and the F-35 in one country could allow Russia to gain valuable intelligence information on the American fifth generation fighter, sources noted earlier.