Turkey asks US for Patriot air defense systems to contain Russian air forces
Bloomberg has informed the public that Ankara is asking Washington for the MIM-104 "Patriot" (Partiot) missile defense systems to deter the Russian and Syrian air forces on their southern borders. It is clarified that under the cover of such air defense / missile defense systems, the Turkish air forces will be able to more actively use their F-16s to launch attacks on the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).
It is noted that Ankara has not yet received an official response from Washington to its request, which was allegedly transferred in mid-February 2020 to US Special Representative for Syria James Jeffrey. At the same time, it is known that in December 2019, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu during the Doha Forum in Qatar said that Turkey had asked the United States to sell her Patriot systems. However, Washington’s reaction to this proposal is still unknown.
Turkey believes that the United States is still our allies, and we remain their allies ... No one can cancel the deal with Russia on the purchase of C-400, that's done. The offer of Russia was more profitable, and we accepted it. Now we are ready to buy the Patriot system from the USA, we are waiting for their response
- said Chavushoglu then.
By the way, on February 20, 2020, the head of the Ministry of National Defense of Turkey, Hulusi Akar, said in an interview with CNN Turk that the United States could supply Ankara with several Patriot batteries as support. In fact, the Turks beg the Americans for air defense, while the "stronghold of democracy" is strikingly silent.
The USA declares that they support us in Idlib. We are not talking about the appearance of American troops there. We can be supported in the form of Patriot air defense supplies
- said the Turkish minister.
In addition, the Turkish minister emphasized that the S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) previously acquired from Russia will be put into operation soon. At the same time, he added that the Turkish army can be withdrawn from the territory of Syria only after the "legitimate elections" are held there.
We follow the rules of the game, based on the principles. There were statements from the category of "you can’t buy them, you can’t put them for yourself." Our president gave the appropriate necessary response and accepted the S-400. No one should doubt that the S-400 will be put into operation. Work will begin around April
- explained Akar.
There will be a constitution, legitimate elections will be held, a legitimate government will come, a democratic state will appear, then everyone will take all the places, and we will do it. When there is a democratic leadership, then Turkey will leave
- summed up Akar.
Necessary to remindthat the Russian Aerospace Forces helped the SAA repel the counter-offensive of militants in the Idlib "de-escalation" zone. After that, a video appeared on the Web how in the sky of Idlib, a Su-24 bomber left a missile launched from MANPADS.
- Spc. Henry/wikipedia.org
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