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Ankara is hard at work on improving its own defensive capabilities, in addition to procuring the S-400 from Russia.
Most recently, Turkey successfully test-fired its Siper high-altitude long-range air defense missile system.
Different tests of the domestic air defense system, which is planned to enter the army’s inventory in 2023, will continue, Ismail Demir, the head of Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), tweeted.
Uzun menzilli ve çok katmanlı milli hava savunma sistemimiz #SİPER’in geliştirme çalışmalarında bir aşamayı daha başarıyla tamamladık.🚀
2023 yılında envantere almayı planladığımız SİPER ile Gökvatanımıza karşı bütün tehditleri en güçlü şekilde bertaraf edeceğiz. pic.twitter.com/Nr4lmq9H4h
— Ismail Demir (@IsmailDemirSSB) November 6, 2021
He said Turkey will continue to produce new weapons and will have up to six different air defense systems.
The Siper project is led by Turkey’s defense giants Aselsan, Roketsan and the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK)’s Defense Industries Research and Development Institute (SAGE).
Besides Siper, which is expected to rival Russia’s S-400, the Korkut, Sungur and Hisar air defense systems are also in place.
These systems are set to outline a layered air defense for the country, as mentioned several times by the officials.
The first delivery within the scope of serial production of Korkut systems was carried out in 2019, and the pedestal-mounted air defense system Sungur was also put into service.
The air defense system has the capability of shooting while moving, along with effective target detection, diagnosis, identification, tracking and 360-degree shooting capability day and night.
While the deliveries of the low altitude air defense missile system Hisar-A missiles have started, the mass production of the Hisar-O missiles have also begun.
The interception range of the Hisar-A system is 15 kilometers (9.3 miles), while that of the Hisar-O system is 25 kilometers.
Siper, on the other hand, is intended to be at a level that can compete with the S-400.
In March, the Hisar-O+ medium-range air defense system, the upgraded version of Hisar-O, successfully completed a test firing, which was the longest range and the highest altitude test conducted in Turkey to date.
The air defense system is expected to destroy all kinds of air threats created by fixed and rotary winged aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and air-to-surface missiles in adverse weather conditions.
Turkey has faced challenges in protecting its airspace from long-range missile attacks.
After the US turned away multiple bids to procure the Patriot missile defense systems, Turkey resorted to purchasing Russia’s sophisticated long-range S-400 systems, which strained ties with Washington.
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Turks are delusional. It cant even compete with an upgraded S-200, let alone S-400. If it could Turkey wouldn’t throw money at Russia for more S-400. Simple logic…