OREANDA-NEWS. The news agency Bloomberg citing anonymous Turkish officials reported that Ankara was considering the possibility of acquiring Russian fighters if the United States of America refuses to supply military aircraft F-35.

According to preliminary data, if Turkey is excluded from the F-35 program, it will look for alternative solutions, including the purchase of aircraft from Russia and the development of own combat aircraft and ballistic missiles.

The Turkish officials also said that the Russian anti-aircraft missile systems S-400 were superior to the American Patriot systems and were able to protect Ankara and Istanbul. They added that in preparation for possible USA sanctions because of the purchase of the C-400, Turkey had purchased spare parts for American military equipment. Bloomberg notes that it was done in anticipation of a possible US embargo.

The S-400 system were designed to destroy all types of modern and prospective air and space attack weapons. Complexes are capable to hit targets at a distance of 400 kilometers.

Russia and Turkey signed an agreement on the supply of S-400 air defense missile systems in 2017. The USA opposed the deal and threatened Ankara with sanctions and other negative consequences for the acquisition of Russian weapons. In spite of it, Turkey did not refuse the contract. So the White House threatened to stop cooperation in the F-35 fighters.

On May 19, 2019 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced the plans to engage in joint production of S-500, the complex of next generation, together with Russia.

On June 29, at a meeting with the President of Russia Vladimir Putin at the Group of Twenty summit in Japanese Osaka, Erdoğan reported that there had been no delays in supplying S-400.