Deployment of Turkey's S-400 air defence systems delayed due to defects, claims a Greek website

Istanbul/Athens: – A news website from Greek claimed that the advanced S-400 system, purchased by Turkey from Russia, has not still been deployed as it was found to be faulty. Turkey purchased the Russian S-400 air defence system, in 2017, for a price of $2.5 billion. The system was to be fully operational, in March, this year. But now sensation has been created with this report that the deployment is delayed due to a fault in the system. While it is being revealed that the system in Turkey is faulty, reports are being received that Russia has offered Greece to modernise its S-300 air defence system.

Pentapostagma GR news website, from Greece, published the report regarding the faulty S-400 system in Turkey. The Greek website said that the Turkish foreign department confirmed that the Russian S-400 system has still not been deployed in Turkey. The website report says that the Turkish military also is aware of the fault in the system, but is not able to find a resolution for the fault, since the last six months. It has also been cited that these claims have been confirmed even by the Russian sources and media. Turkey has refused entry for the Russian experts and engineers and has also refused permission to install a new electronic system.

Turkish military does not have the requisite experience or information to activate the S-400 system. In the current scenario, if the system has to be activated, there is no alternative to the Russian technicians. But Turkey has refused entry to the Russian personnel, fearing that they will make some different changes to the system and it is also being said that NATO is exerting pressure on Turkey. The Greek website report claims that the Russian analysts are saying that although the Turkish ministers and officials are assuring to activate the S-400 system, the situation is out of their control. The website also claims that Turkey fears that the United States will impose fresh sanctions if Turkey activated the S-400 system and started using it.

There is tremendous tension reigning between Turkey and Greece, due to the Turkish activities in the Mediterranean Sea. At the same time, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates is upset with the Turkish interference in Libya and have indicated to start a campaign against Turkey. With the possibility of conflict on two fronts, the implementation of the S-400 air defence system would have proved decisive for Turkey. But in this scenario, Turkey not activating the system and also claiming to have tension over this with Russia becomes significant. Europe and the United States are exerting immense pressure, making Turkey withdraw from the tension Mediterranean Sea sector. In this situation, failure of the S-400 system, comes as a major jolt for Turkey.

Meanwhile, at a time when the Turkish S-400 is failing, Russia has expressed interest in modernising the S-300 system supplied to Greece. The Greek media claimed that a request had been made to Russia and the discussions are being held on the subject. Indications are that Greece will receive new command and control centres and radars under this modernisation. While Greece is making moves in that direction, Turkey has accused Greece of militarising islands in the Mediterranean Sea sector. Turkey said that Greece has made massive military deployments on 18 out of 23 islands, lying between Turkey and Greece. Turkey has also claimed that Greece has violated the agreement signed between the two countries, with this deployment.