Turkey has asked Russia to speed up the production and deliveries of S-400 air defense systems, and the manufacturer, in turn, has met the request halfway, pledging the first deliveries in 2019, Director for International Cooperation at Russia's state corporation Rostec Viktor Kladov said in interview released Monday.
ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th August, 2018) Turkey has asked Russia to speed up the production and deliveries of S-400 air defense systems, and the manufacturer, in turn, has met the request halfway, pledging the first deliveries in 2019, Director for International Cooperation at Russia's state corporation Rostec Viktor Kladov said in interview released Monday.
In December 2017, Russia and Turkey signed a loan agreement to supply S-400s to Ankara. According to a statement by the Turkish defense industry secretariat, two S-400 batteries will be operated and serviced by the Turkish military.
"The purchase of S-400 systems by Turkey, a NATO member state, has become a high-profile matter. Moreover, our Turkish partners have asked to speed up the process of production and deliveries of systems, and the manufacturer has met its colleagues halfway. So the first systems, as we expect, will be delivered to Turkey in 2019," Kladov told the Anadolu news agency.
Commenting on the possibility of joint Russian-Turkish production of S-400 systems, Kladov said that this required relevant materials, as well as a� technical base and staff.
According to the Rostec official, Turkey and Russia also have sufficient technological and industrial capabilities for the joint production of fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
The United States and NATO have repeatedly criticized Ankara for signing the deal with Moscow.
In mid-April, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell said Ankara's purchase of the S-400 air defense missile systems could negatively impact deliveries of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has promised that if deliveries of US fighters were blocked, Ankara would take retaliatory measures, including through cooperation with Russia.
