Türkiye gearing up to deploy S-400 amid shift in US stance

Minister of Defense of Türkiye, Yaşar Güler, announced that the United States no longer opposes Türkiye's deployment of the Russian-made S-400 air defence systems.

"During our recent meetings [with the American side], we rejected what they requested of us in the context of the S-400. Now, the Americans have no objections on this issue. We have identified areas where we can deploy the S-400; everything is ready. All that is needed is an order from us, and the systems will be deployed to these locations. The complex can be operational within approximately 12 hours, ready for use," Güler stated, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

In 2019, Türkiye purchased the S-400 system from Russia, leading to its exclusion from the F-35 fighter jet program. The US argued that the S-400 could potentially expose vulnerabilities in the F-35’s capabilities, jeopardizing the aircraft's operational security.

Previously, some Turkish media speculated that Ankara might be allowed to rejoin the F-35 program if it refrains from activating the S-400 or transfers the system to a third party. Former US Ambassador to Ankara, Jeff Flake, had suggested a similar proposal. However, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov clarified that Türkiye is bound by an end-user certificate as part of the purchase agreement, prohibiting the resale of the S-400 to third parties without Moscow's consent.

This development highlights a significant shift in U.S.-Türkiye relations regarding the contentious S-400 issue, as Türkiye prepares to operationalize the system.

By Khagan Isayev