2024-08-13 09:34:57
Ankara: Cavit Caglar, a powerful Turkish politician and former minister, has said that his country can sell the S-400 Triumph missile system purchased from Russia. Caglar has not named any country in his statement, but it is believed that Turkey can sell it to Pakistan. In return, it will get entry into America’s F-35 program. He said that Turkey will do this because it is moving towards developing its indigenous multi-layer air defense system without the S-400. Recently, Turkey announced plans for a state-of-the-art, indigenously developed multi-layer air defense system called ‘Steel Dome’. After this announcement, it is believed that NATO member Turkey can distance itself from Russia’s S-400 missile system.
S-400 is gathering dust in a warehouse in Türkiye
Turkey purchased the S-400 missile system from Russia about five years ago. But, due to US sanctions, it has not been activated or made operational. This system is gathering dust in Turkey’s warehouse. Due to this, the US had excluded Turkey from the F-35 program and also imposed many sanctions on its defense industries. In December 2023, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler had clarified that the S-400 surface-to-air missile system purchased from Russia would remain in the army’s stock and would be used as needed.
Why was America angry with Türkiye over the purchase of S-400
Turkey’s purchase of the S-400 missile system from Russia had raised many questions. Turkey is a NATO member country, which has strong military ties with the US. NATO has been formed against Russia. In such a situation, buying and deploying its air defense from Russia was like taunting the other member countries, especially the US. The US believed that the Russian-made S-400 missile system would endanger its F-35 program, of which Turkey was an important member. However, despite many warnings from the US, Turkey signed the S-400 purchase deal with Russia in 2017 and also received delivery two years later.
America imposed sanctions on Türkiye
As soon as the S-400 was delivered in 2019, the US imposed sanctions on Turkey’s defense sector and removed Turkey from the F-35 program. Turkey also chose the Russian S-400 air defense system instead of the F-35 fighter aircraft, considered to be the world’s most powerful, which is possessed by only a few countries in the world. However, despite the haste shown in the purchase, Turkey has not yet deployed the S-400 air defense system. Experts speculate that Turkey has not incorporated the S-400 into its missile defense network due to the threat of more sanctions from the US and its cooperation in increasing its air power in the future.
To whom can Türkiye sell the S-400 system?
Former minister Cavit Caglar has said in an interview that Turkey should get rid of the S-400 by selling it to a third country. “If it were me, I would sell the S-400,” Caglar said categorically, adding that there are countries that would be willing to buy the system. Asked if Turkey could sell the S-400 to its partner Azerbaijan, Caglar said, “No, Pakistan will buy them, India will buy them.” Even though he has been out of office for decades, Caglar played a key role in improving the severely strained relations between Turkey and Russia after Turkey shot down a Russian bomber on the Syrian border in November 2015. In recognition of his work, Russia awarded him the Order of Friendship in 2017. So, his suggestion about Russia’s response to Turkey selling the S-400 could be quite important.
Will Türkiye buy F-35 by selling S-400?
Laying the ground for a potential sale, Caglar said selling the S-400 would help Turkey acquire modern F-16s and allow it to rejoin the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, from which Washington expelled it in 2019 after a controversial acquisition. When asked if he would negotiate with Russia over a potential sale of the system to a third country, Caglar said it would have to be done by those in power.
It is not easy for Turkey to get Russia’s approval
According to the report, Turkey will have to get approval from Russia to sell the S-400 to any third party. However, the possibility of Turkey selling the S-400 missile system to any third country seems remote, as the Erdogan administration has not yet given any indication that it wants to get rid of this Russian system. On the contrary, Turkey has so far rejected all such possibilities.
Is Türkiye really going to sell S-400?
Turkey had convinced the US to sell F-16s to Ankara in January this year. The US had also approved selling F-16s to Turkey in exchange for Sweden’s NATO membership. However, Turkey has reduced the number of upgrade kits and ammunition to modernise its old F-16s and is currently eyeing the Eurofighter Typhoon. However, some experts believe that Turkey is also eyeing the possible acquisition of F-35 Lightning II jets, but to do so it needs to get rid of the Russian S-400.
What does Turkey have to say on the claims of selling S-400?
In January this year, US Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said that Turkey could rejoin the F-35 program provided the S-400 issue is resolved. However, Turkey is refusing to accept the US conditions on this issue. In May this year, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler denied reports that Ankara intends to give the surface-to-air missile systems purchased from Russia to another country, possibly Ukraine. “There is no question of transferring the S-400 to any country,” he said on CNN Turk.