Russia, Turkey negotiating contract on S-400 air defense missile system deliveries

LE BOURGET (France), June 21. /TASS/. Russia is holding contractual negotiations with Turkey on the delivery of its most advanced S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile systems, state arms seller Rosoboronexport CEO Alexander Mikheyev said at the Le Bourget air show on Wednesday. "Turkey is, indeed, showing high interest in Russian long-range air defense missile systems. Contractual negotiations are currently underway," the chief executive said. Speaking about any possible risks that might arise with the delivery of armaments and military hardware, the CEO said that Rosoboronexport always took them into account. "And we prescribe terms in a contract that guarantee that these risks won’t emerge," he added. "As for deliveries to a NATO member country, we work only with reliable and proven partners. Our relations with the Turkish side are based on trust and this is the main guarantee," the head of Russia’s state arms exporter said. The Russian S-300 antiaircraft missile systems have long been operational with the armed forces of Greece, which is a NATO member state. However, no problems have emerged with their use by the Greek side, Mikheyev said. "I can say more. Rosoboronexport would supply with great pleasure armaments and military hardware to the alliance’s other members, given the relevant decisions by the [Russian] president," the company’s chief executive said. Today, this practice is impeded by "unfair competition from Western countries, which has manifested itself in sanctions imposed on Russia and Rosoboronexport," he noted. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on June 1 that Russia was ready to supply its S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey. The Russian leader discussed this issue during talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on May 3. Russia’s state hi-tech corporation Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov said in March that Ankara had expressed its desire to obtain a loan from Russia for buying armaments, including antiaircraft missile complexes of this type. Chemezov said in February that Turkey was displaying interest in the S-400 systems and the sides were in talks on possible deliveries. The S-400 Triumf is the most advanced long-range antiaircraft missile system that went into service in Russia in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and can also be used against ground objectives. The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 km and at an altitude of up to 30 km. Read more