ANKARA, December 29. /TASS/. The Turkish-Russian agreement on supplies of Russia-made S-400 air defense missile systems also provides for technological cooperation between the two countries, Haberturk TV said on Friday, citing Turkey’s defense industry executive committee.

"The agreement has a provision on subsequent technological cooperation. Turkey continues efforts to satisfy its demand in the sphere of air defense and is in talks with other countries with an eye of developing its own air defense missile systems," the committee said.

Earlier in the day, Russia and Turkey signed a loan agreement on Turkey’s purchase of Russian S-400 systems. According to the Hurriyet daily, Ankara will pay part of the sum from its own funds and will contract a Russian loan for the rest. Notably, the loan will be in rubles.

On September 12, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara had signed an agreement with Moscow on purchases of S-400 systems, with an advance payment already made. On November 2, Director General of Russia’s Rostec corporation Sergei Chemezon told TASS that the contract with Turkey on the sales of S-400 Triumf systems exceeded two billion US dollars. Supplies of these systems are expected to begin within two years.

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 S-400 can engage targets at a distance of 400 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 30 kilometers.