タグ: Triumf missile

Turkey The New Regional Power?

                      by David Parmer / Tokyo

The face of Turkey today is the face of its leader and president, Recp Tayyip Erdogan. Mr. Erdogan is imposing his vision of the way things might be not just on his own country, but also on his region and indeed the world.

The once proud and powerful Ottoman Empire disappeared after WWI, but it seems to many that the president is determined to bring back the days of glory when the Ottoman Turks were both feared and respected. Mr. Erdogan, using a combination of soft power and military force, might just be the man to do it.

Under Mr. Erdogan Turkey has asserted and inserted itself around its region and beyond. In the not-too-distant past Turkey joined NATO as its only Islamic member and was looking toward possible EU membership. But then Turkey began to assert its own policy which while not anti-western was certainly pro-Turkey.

In home waters Turkey has had an ongoing dispute with the EU over drilling for energy resources off Cyprus. The dispute began in 2018 regarding the exclusive economic zone around Cyprus. Despite opposition and recommendations from the European Council in 2019 Turkey has continued with its exploration activities.

In 2016 the powerful Turkish military began an incursion into Syria to defeat the Islamic State (ISIS/ DAESH). A long and bloody conflict ensued which had its roots all the way back to 2011. During its involvement in the Syrian civil war Turkey has lost at least 300 personnel killed and had numerous aircraft and armored vehicles destroyed. Turkey conducted another major incursion into Syria in 2019 to protect its borders and remove pro-Kurdish forces.

In January 2020 Turkey entered the Libyan civil war on the side of the side of the GNA or Government of National Accord, the established government of Libya. Turkey has reportedly supplied intelligence support, air and naval support as well as introducing Syrian mercenary fighters in support of the government. Turkey’s support and the victory of its proxies would demonstrate to the region and o the world Turkey’s ability to project power and influence the outcome of regional conflicts. In 2020 Turkey has also backed Azerbaijan in its fight with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

And it is not just its neighbors and the Europeans with whom Turkey is asserting itself, now it is the United States. In what seems to be a “no winner” contest Turkey and the US are embroiled in a very unfriendly discussion over Turkey’s decision to buy the Russian S-400 “Triumf” missile system, and incredibly lethal air defense weapon that far surpasses the US Patriot missile system.

Turkey was on board to buy the Patriot system but the US refused the technology transfer that would enable it to be copied and built. The Turks retaliated by turning to Russia for the S-400 system and the US retaliated by excluding Turkey (a NATO partner) from its F35 fighter jet program. As of later 2020, Turkey is going ahead with its S-400 acquisition (including test firing) and the US is talking sanctions.

It seems that Mr. Erdogan is determined to make Turkey a real regional power going forward. The Turkish economy is predicted to make a healthy rebound in 2021 despite some contraction. Given that and the president’s popularity among the voters, there is a good chance that modern Turkey just might become the new Ottoman Empire, at least in spirit.

Photo: Pavel Vanka via flickr

 

The S-400 Triumf–Russia’s “Killer App”

                            by David Parmer/Tokyo

Are you having a busy week? OK, here is the bottom line of this article to save you time reading the whole thing. Bottom line: if it flies, Russia’s S-400 Triumf air defense missile system can knock it out of the sky.

The S-400 Triumf (NATO designation SA-21 Growler) can track 300 targets, has a range of 400 km, and its missiles can reach an altitude of 30km. A battery of S-400 has eight launchers, a control center, radar and a basic load of 16 missiles.

The S-400 is designed to eliminate all sorts of aerial targets including:

  • Bombers
  • AWACS
  • U2
  • Advanced generation fighters
  • Cruise missiles
  • Ballistic missiles

Moreover, the S-400 can detect stealth and non-stealth aircraft at extended ranges. The Triumf can also function as part of an integrated air defense system, (IADS) a system that nullifies, to a certain extent, the opponent’s stealth technology and jamming capabilities.

The S-400 is not a “new” system. It was first rolled out by Russia in 2007 and is now in operation in Russia as well as being deployed in Syria. As a matter of course, Russia has supplied its own needs before turning to export inquiries. Indeed, there seems to be no shortage of potential buyers including Turkey and Vietnam among others.

India, for one is eager to get its hands on the S-400; it plans to place three systems in its western region and two systems in its eastern region. There was much fanfare in October 2016 over the signing of an S-400 arms deal with Russia, but no delivery date has been announced publicly.

The PRC is also a prime customer for the S-400 system. A report in Sputnik News on 15 February 2017 quotes Rostec State Corporation as saying China’s systems are now under production. This is good news for China, but worrisome for China’s potential opponents.The S-400 will not only let China guard its own airspace, (A2/AD) but also extend its coverage to airspace over Taiwan and the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands.

The S-400 system isn’t new, but all reports suggest it is one of Russia’s best “killer apps” when it comes to weapons systems and global arms sales.

Photo: Russian S-400 Missile System via Financial Express