Ankara has gone ahead with its purchase of the Russian defence system despite threats of US sanctions.
Ankara received its first supply of S-400 missiles in July, despite a warning by the United States about possible sanctions. The acquisition of the highly-advanced air defence system has led to a standoff between Turkey and its NATO allies, especially the US.
[...] The modular S-400 is seen as one of the most advanced missile systems in the world, capable of tracking several targets simultaneously and ready to be fired within minutes.
The US has repeatedly said that the Russian system is incompatible with NATO systems and is a threat to the hi-tech F-35 fighter jets, which Turkey is also planning to buy.
Washington has said Turkey will not be allowed to participate in the F-35 programme because of the Turkey-Russia deal.
The US has strongly urged Turkey to pull back from the deal - the first such move between a NATO member and Russia - warning Ankara that it will face economic sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act if it goes ahead with the purchase, reportedly costing more than $2bn.
So far, however, Ankara has refused to give in to US pressure, insisting that choosing which defence equipment to buy is a matter of national sovereignty.
Previously: US Warns Turkey Not To Buy Russian S-400 Missile System
(Score: 2) by loonycyborg on Tuesday August 27 2019, @10:45PM (4 children)
It still will have trouble stopping a cruise missile barrage.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Tuesday August 27 2019, @11:40PM (2 children)
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 3, Informative) by loonycyborg on Wednesday August 28 2019, @06:31AM (1 child)
A single S-400 is used to cover a large region so a potential enemy can dispatch a taskforce of missile capable ships and attack S-400 itself. Cruise missiles can fly low so any AA will have very small window to fire at them. Launches can be synchronized so that all missiles will arrive at almost the same time. That sort of barrage I had in mind.
(Score: 2) by barbara hudson on Thursday August 29 2019, @01:40AM
SoylentNews is social media. Says so right in the slogan. Soylentnews is people, not tech.
(Score: 2) by legont on Wednesday August 28 2019, @12:26AM
Too lasy to check all of them, but say F-35 can carry 4 criuise missiles (with stealth lost). Even if all 60 are F-35s, that makes 5*60=300 (one per missile and one for F-35 itself) S-400 missiles required to stop the airplanes leaving 60+ for the carrier; just one system will do it.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.