Turkish Broadcaster: Russian-made S-400s to Arrive Monday

Haberturk, a private Turkish broadcasting station, says the country will receive its first shipment of S-400 anti-aircraft missiles as early as Monday. The Russian-made S-400 is believed to be a highly advanced and effective aerial defense weapon, and its purchase by Ankara has aroused the anger of fellow NATO members because the system is incompatible with those used by the alliance. Turkey became a NATO member in 1952. The dissatisfaction has led the Trump Administration to threaten to withhold shipments to Turkey of the highly sophisticated F-35 stealth fighter jet – which some defense experts say could be used by Russian advisers based in Turkey to calibrate the S-400’s radar to enable it to detect aircraft of this type. According to the Haberturk report, which did not reveal its sources, Russian technicians will arrive with the first missiles to begin setting up the system. Washington has said the missile’s delivery would trigger sanctions on Ankara.