The United States has threatened imposing Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) against Turkey if it goes ahead with the Russian S-400 Air Defence Systems deal, the State Department warned on Wednesday.
This is the first instance of the US intending to invoke CAATSA against a country for buying Russian equipment since the act came into force in 2018. Though India and China have signed up to buy the S-400 systems the US has not threatened these countries with CAATSA.
"Turkey will face very real and very negative consequences if it completes the delivery of the S-400," State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said at a pressing briefing adding that the consequences include sanctions under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), suspension of procurement of defence equipment from Turkey and industrial participation in the F-35 fighter jets program.
"These are very serious, these are very real, and I think our position remains quite consistent on that," she added.
Turkish President Erdogan reiterated Turkey's offer to set up a joint working group to address US concerns about Ankara's purchase of the S-400 air defense system during a phone call earlier this week with President Trump, Erodgan’s spokesman said.
The US has so far remained cold to the joint working group proposal. Erdogan had earlier argued that there is nothing in the F-35 purchase agreement with Turkey that it could be cancelled if it buys Russian military equipment.
Erdogan has earlier said that it has paid $1.2 billion for the F-35s and that there is nothing in the Turkey-IS agreement for these jets that the sale can be sanctioned if Ankara buys Russian equipment.
Turkey sees an improvement in talks with the United States over the purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems and US F-35 fighter jets but was prepared for sanctions under Countering American Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). "In our talks with the United States, we see a general easing and rapprochement on issues including the east of the Euphrates, F-35s and Patriots," Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said
The United States is opposed to Turkey and India acquiring the Russian S-400 long-range air defense systems as it requires sensitive data from the sensors of the aircraft to be fed into it in order to identify them as friend or a foe. The details of the friendly aircraft required include information on the radar, Link-16, a special transponder called Identification of Friend or Foe (IFF) and more
The United States has now offered Lockheed Martins Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Raytheons Patriot Advance Capability (PAC-3) missile defence systems for India to choose over Russian S-400 Triumf systems, after offering the US-made systems to Turkey. New Delhi signed a deal with Moscow last October for five S-400 defense systems consisting of 8 launchers for $5
Russia has sent several dozens of new S-400 Triumf missile systems to China to replace those damaged in 2017 in a storm while being ferried to the destination. "At the start of April, several dozens of new S-400 missiles were sent by maritime transport from the Baltic to China to replace those damaged in a storm in the English Channel," a military-diplomatic source told TASS on Tuesday
Russias Almaz-Antey, one of the biggest defence firms in the world, will display the controversial S-400 air defence systems at the IDEF 2019, the 14th International Defence Industry Fair, to be held April 30 -May 3 in Istanbul. "Our participation in the IDEF 2019 exhibition aims to boost the corporation's image as that of the main Russian developer and manufacturer of defensive systems, and which provides a warranty for the service life of these systems
Russia introduced new financial arrangements in 2019 to receive payments for arms sales that helped it get around United States sanctions against its defence and financial sector. “Despite sanctions, we have completed supplies of all the components of the S-400 Air Defence Missile Systems to Turkey ahead of time, created and launched the first worlds joint venture on production of the Kalashnikov assault rifles of the “two hundredth” series in India,” said Rosoboronexports Director General Alexander Mikheev today
The S-400 air defense system could give Turkey control over the airspace of a part of the Mediterranean and Syria, which is a territory where the United States and Israel routinely conduct aerial operations. The reason why the US is vehemently opposed to Turkey acquiring the S-400 is because Washington and Israel may have to keep Ankara informed before launching an air-raid
With the US-Turkey F-35 Jet deal heading towards a possible collapse, Turkey is considering alternatives such as the Russian Su-57, Chinese J-31 or even accelerating the development of its own fighter jet. The US has stopped supply of parts to Turkish firms involved in the F-35 supply chain besides suspending pilot training for F-35s ‘delivered to Ankara but still based in the United States
The letter sent by US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on the Russian S-400 missile defense system is "not in spirit of the alliance,” Hulusi Akar, Defense Minister of Turkey said Wednesday. Shanahan, in a letter to Hulusi Akar dated June 6, stated that the Pentagon has suspended training of new F-35 Turkish pilots
The Pentagon has suspended training of new F-35 Turkish pilots, and told Ankara the current students must leave the country by July 31, as new details about the rift with Ankara over its plans to purchase Russia's S-400 missile system come to the fore. Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan in a letter to Hulusi Akar, Turkeys defense minister dated June 6, wrote that the 42 Turkish students attending F-35 training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida will be required to depart by that date
The United States is Turkey's biggest defence equipment importer with export figures souring to $353 million during the first five months of 2019, according to data from the Turkish Exporters Assembly (TİM). Ankara's aviation and defense industry export revenue stood at $1 billion, up by 37 percent from last year's $784 million during the same period, reported Anadolu Agency citing TİM data
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