Turkey could buy US-made defense systems as well: Aide

By Ilkay Guder

ANKARA

In addition to the Russian S-400 system it has committed to , Turkey could also buy U.S. Patriot missiles if it got a good offer, Turkey’s presidential spokesman said Thursday.

"Turkey could buy Patriot missiles. Turkey doesn't have to fulfill its needs from a single source, as Turkey is a big country," Ibrahim Kalin said at a forum on Turkish-Russian relations in the capital Ankara.

"If there was a good offer, Turkey would seriously evaluate buying [Patriots] as well as a possible joint production and technology transfer," he added.

Earlier this month Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey will benefit from Russian-made S-400 air defense systems set to be delivered next year.

On the S-400 purchase, Akar previously said the system was being bought “to meet our urgent air defense system needs as soon as possible."

First S-400 systems set for delivery late 2019

Kalin stated that Turkey’s EU accession negotiations and being a strategic partner of the U.S. does not mean it cannot also have good relations with Russia.

He said that Turkey has long been talking with the U.S. about buying Patriot missiles.

"A bid was held for defense missile systems and Russia made the best offer, so an agreement was reached on the S-400s," Kalin said, adding that the first delivery is expected in October or November 2019.

"In the second phase, Turkey and Russia will start doing production of the S-400 systems," he said.

Kalin also said the Russians are closely cooperating with Turkey on the S-400 systems but that the U.S. has not offered this for the Patriots.

The U.S. has expressed opposition to the S-400 purchase, and in June the U.S. Senate passed a bill prohibiting sales to Turkey of U.S. F-35 jets, despite a signed contract between the two countries.