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Russia and Turkey agree to S-400 contract, still need to settle funding
Moscow and Ankara have reportedly agreed upon a contract outlining the supply of Almaz-Antey S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems to Turkey.
This was confirmed by Russia’s Presidential Advisor for Military and Technical Cooperation Vladimir Kozhin at the International Maritime Defence Show (IMDS 2017) taking place in St. Petersburg.
“The contract has been agreed and everything is understandable there but the issue of a loan, funds has not been settled yet,” Kozin said at IMDS 2017 (via Russian News Agency TASS).
Kozin noted that while the technical aspects have been settled, funding – namely Ankara’s request for a credit or loan mechanism to back the deal – is still being addressed. Commercial and political issues also need to be settled before a final contract can be inked.
Turkey requested the S-400 SAM system in November 2016, in the backdrop of a thaw in Turkish-Russian relations, which briefly collapsed following the downing of a Russian Su-24 by the Turkish Air Force. Talks began in February and progressed through March. In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed to Turkish media that S-400 talks with Turkey were in the final stages.
In parallel with its efforts to acquire the S-400, the Turkish Undersecretariat of Defence Industries (SSM) also commissioned the development of an indigenous long-range SAM system.
The head of the SSM, Dr. İsmail Demir stated that development of Turkey’s long-range SAM system would require “five to seven years.” Turkey also appears to be tying the purchase of S-400 systems with Russian assistance towards its homegrown system.
If successful, the S-400 would be the largest bilateral defence program between Turkey and Russia. In fact, it would also likely be Russia’s biggest export to a NATO power and, in turn, raise Turkey as one of Russia’s leading defence importers.
The main draw of the S-400 system is the 40N6 missile – with a range of 400 km, it offers the S-400 a markedly broad coverage area against many aerial threats, especially combat aircraft. However, the S-400 is a multi-layered system, and thus, it also carries shorter-range missiles, namely the 250 km 48N6, 120 km 9M96E2 and 40 km 9M96E. Currently, China and India are the sole export-users of the S-400.
7 Comments
by Nayyar Azam Saifi
I have been followimg QUWA since years. Thanks Bilal for such a nice work. In relation to the above article i need to understand below.
Is there any chance that Pakistan buy S400? Would this fit into Pakistan budget? Is this really needed by Pakistan as we already have chinese built HQ9?
by Bilal Khan
A Pakistan Army official told RIA Novosti that there was Pakistani interest in the S-400, but to be honest, I wouldn’t put much stock in such statements until actual negotiations begin between Pakistan and Rosonboronexport. I’m not aware of any HQ-9 sales to Pakistan, though Pakistan was interested in them a few times.
by Qasim57
S-400 seems like the sort of “force multiplier” that Pakistan aims for. It does seem to make alot of sense from our defense needs, no?
by Bilal Khan
My guess is that a baseline S-400 force would cost Pakistan $3 billion (2-3 systems). Since it’d be a strategic need, I think they can budget for it over 10 years, especially if the Army, Air Force and Navy chip in (since it’d benefit each of them). Unfortunately, that route is entirely contingent on Russia’s willingness to extend another credit line to back the deal, like it is contemplating for Turkey. India would basically need to break all relations to make this doable, or Pakistan would need to get a third-party credit source like China. And China will certainly prioritize loans for its own hardware well before that of Russia.
by Steve
The relations between India and USA are getting deeper though not to the extent of NATO and will probably never be that deep. They are now trying to suck up to the Jews to get further into America’s bed. We need a strategic realignment with Russia not just transactional deals. We can leverage this for Russian hardware especially since Russia and USA are at loggerheads particularly in the Middle East. We need to keep asking for two systems only. Su-35 for maritime strike and S-400, in exchange for partnership in CPEC and an Afghanistan peace deal. India cannot have its cake and eat it so to speak, and get weapons from every vendor irrespective of geopolitical realities, and also stop Pakistan all at the same time. India is not THAT important no matter what they think of themselves. After all it’s a large Third World country but with huge poverty and other issues. The one issue WE need to improve is finance, which is chronically mismanaged by our 2 poisonous greedy corrupt incompetent political families that have been inflicted on Pakistan for 30 years and the clueless public keep electing.
by Muhammad Irfan
In current geo-political & economic situation S-400 system might not be possible to attain by Pakistan in very near future or in far future unless China came up with its own solution equivalent to S-400 and Pakistan’s foreign and economic credibility increased significantly.
by MT
Show them the money. Pak is a tiny 300bill$ economy where tax to gdp is among lowest with high fiscal deficit..
Say thanks to 9/11 pak managed to get 5bill$ freeby weapons frm us and 32 bill$ aid which kind of sustained pak ambitious
oversized defense consumption for last decade and uplifted pak from economic bankruptcy in 2001
In future pak ll hv to loosen it’s purse to afford them