Turkish Armed Forces to Activate, Test S-400 Air Defence System

Turkish armed forces have commenced the process of activating and testing the S-400 Air Defense System (ADS) purchased from Russia  at a training ground near the northern city of Sinop.

 In preparation for the test, 10 Banshee air targets will be delivered to the Sinop missile range for the S-400 tests, which are to take place from October 5 to 16, Turkish Minute reported, citing official government correspondence.

"Test launches of the S-400 system will be carried out at the Sinop missile range from 5 to 16 October 2020 to test the combat readiness of the S-400, the ability to detect and track the radars of the system, the capabilities of the communication system, as well as to test fire control and command control," - the document reads, according to the publication.

 According to the document, the Turkish President had authorized the preliminary activation of the system to test the capabilities of the radars at the Myrted airfield near Ankara from September 28 to October 2 2019.

It was during this time reports had emerged of the Turkish S-400 ADS tracking Turkish F-16s and US F-35s as they flow close to the Caspean Sea

The documents seen by Turkish Minute states that during the tests, the commanders at the observation post will have to obtain permission from the Turkish President for each missile launch two hours before it.

S-400 batteries, 10 air targets, a ground control station for drones and other necessary equipment were to arrive from the Myrted airbase in Sinop on October 5.

After deployment near Sinop, the S-400 batteries will have to fire at aerial targets from October 5 to 16, the document reads, says Turkish Minute.

The activation may further aggravate relations between the US and Turkey as Washington has already the sale of F- 35 jets and US politicians are clamoring for sanctions to be imposed on Ankara for buying Russian equipment.

On July 17, 2020 the US House of Representatives passed the Countering Russia’s Export of Arms Act with bipartisan support, which would designate the acquisition of the S-400 by Turkey as “a significant transaction pursuant to Section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA),” Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger said at the time.

“Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall, pursuant to section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, impose five or more of the sanctions described in section 235 of such Act (22 U.S.C. 8 9529) with respect to the Government of Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400 air and missile defense system from the Russian Federation,” the bill approved in the House of Representatives stipulates.