Russia is ready to sell Su57 fighters to Turkey

Sergey Chemezov, CEO of the state-run Russian state-owned Rostec, said Moscow was ready to sell its new Sukhoi 57 fighter jets to Turkey if Ankara wanted to do so.

In a statement to the Turkish news agency Anadolu, Chemezov said that Moscow recently granted the necessary permissions to export its fifth-generation Su57 fighter jets, but we will first meet the needs of the Russian Defense Ministry.

He added that these fighters have special advantages, which makes them the focus of many countries, including Turkey.

Ankara is likely to decide to buy Russian fighter jets if the United States decides to ban the sale of F35 fighter jets to Turkey because of the recent purchase of Russian anti-aircraft missile S400.

The Russian official said that Turkey is the first member of NATO, “NATO” will possess the S400 Russian missiles system, which makes them subject to great pressure, but nevertheless took a firm and balanced position on the deal.

Ankara rejects US objections to the deal and says it has sought for 10 years to buy a defense system from NATO allies, including Washington, but not sold to it.

Turkey and Russia signed the S400 agreement in 2017, the Turkish government and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, followed by an independent foreign policy, in order not to succumb to the pressure of Ankara’s allies in NATO, he said.

Russia is expected to complete the delivery of S400 missiles to Turkey by the end of this year, he said.

Rejecting external pressure, President Erdogan said last March, “The S400 deal is settled, and we may even buy the S500 system”.

“The S500 is the latest Russian air defense system, unparalleled in the world, and cooperation with Turkey on this matter is of great importance to Russia”, he said.

He expressed his deep gratitude for Ankara’s desire to cooperate with Moscow on the S500.

He stressed that the two countries have a wide capacity to enhance cooperation in the technical field.

The Russian official said that Turkey has taken important steps, in recent years, to strengthen its defense industries, and reduce dependence on abroad to meet their needs.

“Turkey’s domestic production of defense industries has risen to 70 percent now, while it was very low in 2000”, he said.

“Turkey currently has significant capabilities in the production of light arms, armored vehicles and unmanned reconnaissance aircraft”, he said.

He expressed Moscow’s readiness to help Ankara develop its defense industries, especially in the exchange of technological and productive expertise.

The Russian official said that Rostec is seeking to cooperate with Turkey in the long run.

“Countries have great potential for joint cooperation in high-tech civilian fields”.

He explained that the manufacture of helicopters is one of those areas, where the Turkish company for air and space industries “Potash” different parts of helicopters.

He added that the Russian helicopter company of Rostec ready to use those parts in the manufacture of helicopters, and then sold to countries that are associated with Turkey strong economic and trade relations.

He also said that the energy field is one of the promising areas of cooperation between the two countries.

He added that “the Russian company for the manufacture of motors” continues studies and meetings with the Turkish company “Potash” on the launch of joint projects in the efforts to strengthen the strategic partnership.

Rostec is grateful for Turkey’s desire to cooperate with it in the development of its space industries.

He said that Ankara and Moscow have extensive experience in the field of space industries, and Rostec is ready to share its experiences with Turkey.

He pointed out that Ankara launched its satellite “Turksat 4A”, with the participation of the Russian company for the export of arms, “Rosoboronexport”, of the “Rostec”.