Delivery of S-400 defense missile system continued on Monday, as eighth Russian plane carrying equipment of the system landed at an airbase on the outskirts of Ankara, Turkey’s Defense Ministry said on Monday.
EIGHTH PLANE LANDED
“Delivery of parts of the S-400 Long Range Air and Missile Defense Systems is continuing. In this context, the eighth plane landed at Murted Airbase,” the ministry said in a Twitter post.
Following protracted efforts to purchase an air defense system from the US with no success, Ankara signed a contract in 2017 to purchase the Russian S-400s.
US officials urged Turkey to buy US Patriot missiles, arguing the Russian system would be incompatible with NATO systems and expose the F-35s to possible Russian subterfuge. Turkey, however, emphasized the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.