S-400 missile deal with Turkey exceeds $2 billion: Russia

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

The cost of delivering the S-400 missile defense system to Turkey will exceed $2 billion, an official with Russia’s state-run defense company Rostec said on Nov. 2.

“The cost of the S-400 deal with Turkey is worth more than $2 billion,” Sergey Chemezov, the CEO of Rostec, was quoted as saying by Russia’s official TASS news agency.

Turkey recently agreed to purchase the S-400 system from Moscow. Previously, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Kozhin said Moscow received an “advance payment” from Turkey for the defense system.

Meanwhile, the executive committee of Turkey’s Defense Industry Undersecretariat convened on Nov. 2 to discuss the modernization of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and improvements in the defense industry infrastructure.

The committee was also scheduled to address in detail the deal for the purchase of the S-400 missile system.

Chaired by Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, the meeting included National Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli and Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu for the first time.

Chief of General Staff Hulusi Akar and Defense Industry Undersecretary İsmail Demir also attended.

In recent years, Turkey has sought to build its domestic defense industry to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

The S-400 is Russia’s most advanced long-range anti-aircraft missile system and can carry three types of missiles capable of destroying targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles.

It can track and engage up to 300 targets at the same time and has an altitude ceiling of 27 kilometers.