Currently Studying How To Combine US Patriots, Turkish S-400s: NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is currently searching for a solution on Turkey's S-400 buy and is looking at how to combine the Russian air defense systems with American Patriots.

"The Alliance is searching for a solution in connection with Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, was quoted as saying by reports RIA Novosti.

NATO is currently discussing how to combine the presence of the two air defense systems, the report said.

"Russian anti-aircraft missile systems will not be integrated into the overall Alliance's air defense, as they technically cannot function together," Stoltenberg reportedly said.

In the last week of October, Turkey tested S-400 radars against Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets. In response, Christopher Van Hollen, US Senator for Maryland, said that Turkey “crossed another red line” by commencing the tests.

"Two weeks after his White House visit, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is thumbing his nose at Trump, the US + NATO, and crossing another red line on S-400s," Hollen said in a Twitter post.

The S-400 has been the apple of discord between Ankara and Washington, with the latter having tried persuading the former to pull out of a $2.5 billion deal with Russia for the systems, ever since it was signed in 2017. The first batch of military equipment were delivered to Turkey this July, and were deployed at the Mürted Airbase in Ankara. The air defense systems are set to be activated once training of Turkish personnel is concluded.