Turkey To Not Get Access To 'Internals' Of Russian S-400 Air Defense System

Russia has turned down Turkey’s request to have an access to the internal systems of the S-400 Triumph air-defense system, a Russian news agency reported.

According to Gazeta.ru, this applies to one of the weapon’s key elements: The friend-or-foe identification system, including other electronics.

"We did not agree to their demand to allow access to the S-400’s internals, therefore the systems will have a friend-or-foe identification system made in Russia. Turkey insisted on us passing on the passwords and control to them but we refused to do so," the source told the news site.

The source noted that as per the agreement, technical servicing will only be done only by Russia.

In September, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that Moscow received Ankara’s deposit for the S-400. The two sides agreed to a $2.5 billion U.S. deal for four S-400 systems in July, following nine months of negotiations since Turkey expressed interest in the S-400.

According to Viktor Murakhovsky, editor-in-chief of the Arsenal Otechestva magazine, Ankara won't receive the first systems until 2020.

"At present Russia is completing the rearmament of its own army with the S-400s and after that it will have to meet its obligations to China and India for these systems. Accordingly, only after that will Almaz-Antei start assembling S-400 systems for Turkey," Murakhovsky told Russia Beyond.

The S-400 Triumf is a road-mobile long-range surface to air missile system. Each self-propelled or semi-trailer-mounted launcher has four missiles, which have ranges up to 250 miles depending on the variant. Search and tracking radars, including those in the X- and L-bands, give the complete system the ability to spot and engage both short-range ballistic missiles and low-flying cruise missiles, according to the manufacturer Almaz-Antey.