Turkey is nearing the purchase of between 36 and 48 Su-35 fighter planes from Russia, Turkish government sources confirmed.

The figure of 48 planes would comprise two squadrons of the plane, and would complement the S-400 missile defense system that Turkey, a NATO member, purchased from Russia earlier this year and delivered in August.

The plane and missile system are part of a cooperative engagement capability in which the Su-35s would act as airborne radar to guide the S-400's missiles as they engage enemy aircraft or missiles. Data from the S-400's ground based radars could also serve an Su-35 pilot, since the S-400's strongest capability is networking with other systems, including fighter planes and the Russian-made Pantsir low-level air defense system.

Turkey was suspended from purchasing, and manufacturing parts for, the U.S.-made F-35 fighter plane after the S-400 purchase.

The United States argued that the S-400 and the F-35 are incompatible, and that secrets of the F-35 could be exposed to Russia. Turkey responded with an assurance that the S-400 would not be integrated into its NATO systems.

The Su-35, introduced in 2014, is regarded as Russia's most advanced fighter plane. A next-generation upgrade, the Su-57, is unlikely to be mass-produced in the next decade.

Since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited an air show in Moscow in August and saw demonstrations of the Su-35 and Su-57, there have been a number of contacts between both sides.

Moscow loaned Turkey the funding to purchase the S-400 system for $2.5 billion. It could pay up to $70 million per plane if a deal is struck.

Turkey is also planning to construct its own fighter plane, known as the TF-X, but a working prototype is several years away and Turkey is seeking a stopgap to replace its aging fleet of U.S.-made F-4 and F-16 planes.

A potential issue, should Turkey purchase the Russian planes, involves ammunition. The F-4s and F-16s are equipped with NATO- and U.S.-standard weapons, and ammunition for weapons aboard the Su-35s would likely be purchased from Russia.

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Lockheed nabs $14.4M contract to support France's C-130-J aircraft
Washington (UPI) Oct 25, 2019
Lockheed Martin won a $12.4 million contract for support of France's C-130-J and KC-130-J aircraft, the Defense Department said. The plane, known in various iterations as the Super Hercules, is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft suitable for delivering troops and cargo, as well as mid-air refueling. Seventeen nations have the plane and its variants in their fleets. France has four, its first brought into service in 2018 for use in airlift and refueling activities in the ... read more