This story may read almost as a joke. But it’s the truth.
On March 20, Reuter reports that Washington has asked Turkey, one of the NATO Alliance’s most important member, mostly for her strategic location, to transfer to Ukraine their Russian top of the line and cutting edge S-400 Triumph Air Defense System (ADS).
The US and NATO wanted Ukraine be equipped with efficient anti-aircraft missiles, but were unwilling – or afraid? – to supply Ukraine with the US Patriot system.
Maybe because they did not want to get directly “seriously” involved in the war, or more likely, they were afraid that their Patriot system could end up in the hand of the Russian military.
So what?
The Russian S-400 is categorized by experts as “superior to the American Patriot”.
The S-400 has a 4,800 km/h target speed and can reach enemy aircraft, ballistic missiles and AWACS planes at 400 km and 250 km; the medium-range 120 km, and the short-range 40 km. AWACS stands for Airborne Warning And Control System. It is a mobile, long-range radar surveillance and control center for air defense.
Compare this with the US-made Lockheed Martin Patriot system which has an operational range of 40 km and can intercept targets at altitudes of up to 24.2 km whereas interceptors from THAAD system have an operational range of more than 200 km and can hit the targets at altitudes of up to 150 km.
Due to its relatively short-range target reach, the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has successfully demonstrated the interoperability of two key US ADS — Patriot and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
Even the combination of the two is considerably inferior to Russia’s S-400.
So, why would Washington offer Turkey an inferior system to give up its Russian S-
400?
Turkey has already been “sanctioned” for having purchased a Russian ADS, being a NATO member. It’s the “sanctions game” all over again. Turkey, like most countries, is getting seriously tired of this desperate US sanctioning for every country that refuses to follow Washington’s tune. But Turkey said NO. Period.
Washington has repeatedly affirmed it won’t reverse any of these “sanctions” until Ankara completely removes all S-400s and their components from Turkish soil. But Turkey stands solid.
The following timeline presents the main developments on the issue over the past year and their impact on Turkey’s relations with the United States, its NATO ally.
July 25, 2017 – President Tayyip Erdogan says Turkey has made progress in plans to procure the [Russian] S-400 missile defense system and signatures have been signed.
Dec 12, 2017 – Russia has offered Turkey partial financing for Ankara’s purchase of their ADS, Interfax news agency reports, citing a Russian presidential aide.
Dec 27, 2017 – The head of Russia’s Rostec corporation, Sergei Chemzov, says the S-400 contract is worth $2.5 billion, according to Kommersant daily.
Dec 29, 2017 – Turkey and Russia have signed an accord regarding supply of the systems, CNN Turk and other media said.
June 19, 2018 – A U.S. Senate committee passes a spending bill including a provision to block Turkey’s purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets unless it drops the plan to buy the S-400s.
March 28, 2019 – U.S. Senators introduce a bipartisan bill to prohibit the transfer of F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey until the U.S. government certifies that Ankara will not take delivery of the S-400s.
April 3, 2019 – Turkey proposes to the United States to form a working group to determine that the S-400s do not pose a threat to U.S. or NATO military equipment.
June 7, 2019 – The United States decides to stop accepting any additional Turkish pilots to train on F-35 fighter jets.
End of story?
Not quite, as the US, desperate to win this argument, keeps pushing Turkey in one way or another to get rid of the S-400 Air Defense System and purchase instead the considerably inferior Patriot system.
But Turkey keeps saying nyet.
Dennis Edwards: Some Bible Prophecy scholars believe that a Russian, Turkey, and Iran alliance will form the bulk of the forces that will war against Israel in the "last days" preceeding the return of Christ. Turkey and Iran are mentioned specifically, while Russia is infirred as the nation called Magog in Ezekiel 38-39. If our understanding is sound, we wouldn't expect Turkey to agree to give up its Russian Defense System. We would see Turkey working independently from Nato, which is exactly what has occurred.
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