MOSCOW, September 15. /TASS/. Russia has finished the second stage of deliveries of a regiment set of S-400 air defense missile systems by transport planes to Turkey as envisaged by the contract, the Russian defense ministry said on Sunday.
"On September 15, 2019, as part of the implementation of contract liabilities, Russian military transport planes finished the second stage of deliveries of components of the S-400 air defense missile system to Turkey," the ministry said.
Turkey’s defense ministry reported the completion of the second phase earlier.
The first reports about the talks between Russia and Turkey on the deliveries of S-400 air defense missile systems emerged in November 2016. Russia confirmed in September 2017 that the relevant contract worth $2.5 billion had been signed. Under the contract, Ankara will get a regiment set of S-400 air defense missile systems (two battalions). The deal also envisages partial transfer of production technology to the Turkish side.
Deliveries began on July 12. During the first stage, from July 12 to July 25, 30 military transport planes delivered S-400 components to Turkey’s Muret airbase. The second stage began on August 27.
Russia’s S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) is the latest long-range antiaircraft missile system that went into service in 2007. It is designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles, and surface targets. The system can hit aerodynamic targets at a range of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles) and tactical ballistic targets flying at a speed of 4.8 km/s (3 mi/s) at a distance of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles). Such targets include cruise missiles, tactical and strategic aircraft and ballistic missile warheads.
The system’s radars detect aerial targets at a distance of up to 600 kilometers (373 miles). The system’s 48N6E3 surface-to-air missiles can hit aerodynamic targets at altitudes of 10,000-27,000 meters and ballistic threats at altitudes of 2,000-25,000 meters.