On August 27, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced the deliveries of the air defense system S-400 continue. The second delivery started while the deployment of the Russian made system keeps following.

Whilst the contract about the acquisition of a long-range air defense system was concluded on April 11, 2017, the deliveries have started this summer. The first batch arrived in Turkey between July 12 and 25, igniting the wrath of the USA.

Indeed, Washington widely expressed its disapproval regarding Turkey’s choice oriented toward Russian-made material. Ankara, member of the program F-35, decided — despite sanctions — to stay on its positions and rejected to renounce to the acquisition of the system S-400.

A decision difficult to accept for the U.S. as they fear this system could collect and transfer crucial informations about the F-35 to the Russian forces, thus making the fifth generation aircraft obsolete sooner than planned. Therefore, Washington could sanction Turkey excluding the country from the program F-35. An unjustified decision from Ankara’s perspective. Yet Turkey keeps going forward and is already looking for an alternative to replace Lockheed Martin-manufactured aircraft.