This was stated by Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar the S-400 missile defense system purchased from Russia is ready for action and will be usedif the country is threatened, reports the Anatolia Agency.
Speaking before the planning and budget committee of the Turkish parliament in the capital Ankara, Hulusi Akar said that “the S-400 is in place and ready for use”.
“If threats arise, we will decide where and how to use it,” Akar added.
Answering questions about the S-400 air defense system, he said, “We have no problems with the S-400.”
In April 2017, when Turkey’s protracted efforts to purchase an air defense system from the United States proved fruitless, the country signed a contract with Russia to acquire the then state-of-the-art S-400 anti-aircraft missile system Russia.
US officials have expressed opposition to their deployment, arguing that the S-400s would be incompatible with NATO systems.
In December 2020, the United States imposed sanctions on the Turkish defense industry, which is a member of NATO, for the S-400 and kicked Ankara out of the F-35 stealth fighter program, of which the country was a producer and buyer. Ankara supports it this move is unfair.
However, Turkey has stressed that the S-400s will not be integrated into NATO systems and will not pose a threat to the alliance or its armaments. Ankara has repeatedly proposed the creation of a commission to clarify the issue.
Turkey has become the first NATO country to purchase S-400 air defense systems from Moscow in 2017. However, Ankara’s decision caused strong negative reaction from the United States and the Alliance as a whole.
