Russia beginning to deliver S-400s to Turkey on Sunday
Washington has said that US sanctions would be triggered when the missile batteries arrive in NATO ally Turkey.
By REUTERSF15E fighter planes(photo credit: US AIR FORCE PHOTO VIA REUTERS)
ISTANBUL - The first of the Russian S-400 defense systems that Ankara has purchased will be loaded on to cargo planes on Sunday and arrive in Turkey some time next week, privately-held broadcaster Haberturk reported.Washington has said that US sanctions would be triggered when the missile batteries arrive in NATO ally Turkey.The initial S-400 delivery will be sent on two cargo planes from a Russian military air base, Haberturk said without citing a source. It also reported that a Russian technical team that would oversee its installation is expected to arrive in Turkey by Monday.Turkey and the United States have been at odds over Ankara's decision to buy the S-400s, which Washington says are not compatible with NATO defenses and would compromise US F-35 fighter jets, which Turkey helps build and also plans to buy.Washington has also formally started the process of expelling Turkey from the program for F-35s, made by Lockheed Martin Corp.Sanctioning Turkey and removing it from the F-35 program would be one of the most significant ruptures in recent history in the relationship between the two nations.
