Türkiye’s purchase of the S-400 air defense system from Russia sparked great tension with the US. It still remains unresolved. It is reported and discussed in the press that Washington continues to put pressure on Türkiye.
In Türkiye, questions frequently arise about the current status of the S-400s and whether they are actively in use.
One of the most knowledgeable figures on this topic, Retired Major General Beyazıt Karataş, enlightened us on the technical and political dimensions of the S-400 system, addressing the key questions that have been raised in Türkiye and abroad.
Karataş also discussed the efforts of Türkiye to maintain relations with Russia under high pressure to desist. In this context, Karataş commented on the war in Ukraine, a crucial point for the Türkiye-Russia relations and the policy of the US and UK in Ukraine.
Since we received the S-400s from Russia, these systems continue to be trained. At the same time, flight training is underway. In other words, while our airplanes are flying, the S-400s are working alongside them. They are stationed in Ankara, they don’t go anywhere from there, and they perform their duties very well. And I can say that our pilots and the Turkish Air Force are happy with these systems.
“S-400 is four times better than Patriot”
There is now talk of Greece having the S-300s. There are also Soviet weapons in the former Eastern Bloc countries. But that doesn’t matter. What matters is that they don’t want an important regional power like Türkiye to buy weapon systems outside the US. They are trying to sell their own designs. But if you compare the S-400 with Patriot, the S-400 is an air defense system four times better than Patriot. We have made all the comparisons and have already familiarized the Turkish public with them.
Now I am saying that the S-400s are not going anywhere, they are continuing their training where they stood. They are ready for war. In other words, this is a system that can be deployed at any moment. According to all the criteria, it is ready for use in the Turkish Air Force.
Now let’s move on to the rumors that the S400 will be put under American control, that it should go to Incirlik Air Base. It doesn’t work that way. No one is going to give the US the system they paid for. Especially not Türkiye. There is such practice in the code of traditional Turkish Armed Forces to take such a system and give it to someone else or not use it.
“The US is only a guest in Incirlik”
It is important to realize that the US is in Türkiye as a guest. In other words, the Incirlik base in question is actually the 10th Major Jet Command base with the latest name change. The former name was the 10th Wing base. This is where the F-18 squadron was stationed. It has been here for a long time and the place is now called a NATO military base. American soldiers are guests here, which means they can stay in Incirlik as long as Türkiye wants in accordance with the agreements on joint use of the base. When our country doesn’t want them, American soldiers will have to leave the place. So this promise that the S400 will be under the control of the US has no connection to reality. I repeat that Incirlik is not a base under American control, it is Turkish soil, and it continues to serve as the command of the 10th Major Jet Command.
To summarize, the S-400 is ready for war. It continues to be used to meet the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces. I say this from the point of view of the pilots who operate this air defense system.
Türkiye under pressure, yet maintains balance policy
Türkiye’s position in the war in Ukraine from the beginning has been expressed in a policy of balance. Within this framework, it does not want to destroy commercial relations with Russia, especially energy relations, which both countries have developed and promoted together. Both sides do not want this: neither Türkiye nor Russia. After the shooting down of the Russian warplane, we went to Russia and said that we do not support the deterioration of relations between our countries and that we are bound by a common history. Here Türkiye is trying to live up to this statement. It is trying to maintain this position despite the fact that it is under a lot of pressure.
Of course, being a member of NATO, participating in many organizations, rulers feel obliged to make certain statements. But just recently, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, speaking at the UN General Assembly said that he will continue to implement the Montreux Convention and will try to prevent any military operations in the Black Sea, especially American ones, and that he will try to ensure balance in the parts that fall within Türkiye’s area of responsibility.
The policy of the US and UK: war as long as possible and encircling Russia
I also want to discuss the fact that the Ukrainian-Russian conflict was on the verge of reaching a peace agreement to be signed in Istanbul. But after the intervention of the US and the UK, Zelenskyy decided to abandon this and continue fighting.
Although NATO does not seem to be officially involved in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, in fact it is one of the parties to the conflict. That is, the US, which is called the leader of NATO, and its followers the UK and other Western countries, although not under the cover of the Alliance, but using its means and capabilities, are participating in this war and want it not to end for as long as possible. This is ensured by both financial aid and arms supplies. This is where they make their intentions very clear.
What is this conflict in Ukraine in fact? This is an operation initiated by the US to detach Russia from the West, to reduce the dependence of the European Union or European countries on Russia, especially in the field of energy. They want to encircle the Russian Federation.
Wherever the US goes, it ends in a lot of blood. Their help always means that people will die. We see this in Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and now in Ukraine. In fact, the genocidal operations that Israel has been carrying out since last October are blamed on the US. So all the countries in the region are suffering from the US.