A new contract with Turkey on the delivery of Russian-made S-400 medium-to-long-range anti-aircraft missile systems may be signed soon, CEO of the state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheyev said at the Army-2021 international military-technical forum on Monday, TASS reported.
“The consultations continue and are at the final stage. We will start formalizing a contract with our partners soon,” said the chief executive whose company is part of Rostec, the state-run tech corporation.
Mikheyev told TASS that during an international defense industry show held in Turkey earlier this month, prospects of new arms deals between Russia and Turkey grew.
Moscow and Ankara first signed a deal in 2017 on the delivery of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system to Turkey, thereby making it the first NATO member to purchase this air defense missile system from Russia.
Ankara’s decision to purchase the Russian-made system has angered the United States and its NATO allies. Washington continues its efforts to pressure Turkey to give up the Russian air defense system.
Russia’s S-400 is the latest long-and medium-range surface-to-air missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, and can also be used against ground installations.
The S-400 can engage targets at a distance of approximately 500 miles and at an altitude of up to 18 miles under intensive enemy fire and jamming.
