Turkey signs $2.5bn deal for Russian S-400 missiles
What's the story
Explained
S-400 is the world's most advanced surface-to-air missile system
The S-400 missile system can shoot down aircraft up to 400km away. It can also intercept ballistic missiles up to 60km away. Each S-400 battery has four types of interceptor missiles meant for a different kind of targets. Each battery can engage up to 36 different targets at the same time. India is also negotiating for the purchase of six S-400 batteries.
Details
Turkish personnel to operate S-400 "independently," not Russians
Turkey's Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) said Moscow would begin deliveries of the S-400 missile batteries from 2020. Russia's defense manufacturing conglomerate Rostec said Turkey will buying four batteries. However, the SSM has said only two batteries would be purchased from Russia with a third being optional. The SSM said the S-400 would be operated "independently" by Turkish military personnel, not Russian advisors.
Bilateral ties
S-400 deal signifies normalized Turkey-Russia relations
The S-400's deal with Turkey has unnerved NATO amid its growing concerns over Russia's military presence in the Middle East. NATO had earlier warned Turkey of unspecified consequences over the S-400 purchase. Interestingly, the deal is the biggest sign of normalized Russia-Turkey ties which witnessed a sharp deterioration in 2015 after Turkey shot down a Russian air force jet.