Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 14
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkey and the US will discuss the terms of delivery of the Patriot surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), Trend reports via Turkish media.
In order to discuss the delivery, the US delegation will visit Ankara on Jan. 15, 2018.
The US delegation is expected to meet with Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, reports said.
Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey may buy the Patriot SAMs provided that the US won’t insist on the rejection of buying the S-400 air defense systems from Russia.
Previousy reports said that the US administration decided to sell Patriot SAMs to Turkey for a total of $3.5 billion. Permission was obtained for the sale of 80 Patriot MIM-104E anti-aircraft guided missiles and 60 PAC-3 missiles, as well as related equipment. Turkey also requested to purchase four AN/MPQ-65 radar and control stations, 10 AMG antennas, 20 M903 launchers and four intercept control stations.
At the end of November 2018, Ibrahim Kalin, a representative of the Turkish President, announced that the country is ready to purchase Patriot systems from the US. Kalin said that Turkey "is buying these systems for self-defense and is not going to attack anyone."
The US is actively trying not to allow Turkey to purchase the S-400 air defense systems from Russia. The US warned that if Turkey acquires these systems, it may refuse to sell F-35 fifth-generation fighter-bombers to Turkey.
First reports on the negotiations of the Russian Federation and Turkey on the supply of S-400 appeared in November 2016. The conclusion of a contract was confirmed by the Russian side on Sept. 12, 2017.
Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said the deployment of S-400 will begin in October 2019. The head of Russia's state corporation Rostec, Sergey Chemezov, said in December 2017 that the cost of S-400 will be $2.5 billion for Turkey.
Turkey is the first NATO state to receive such an air defense system from Russia.
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