SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Pentagon condemns Turkish missile system test, warns of 'serious consequences'
Washington, Oct 23 (AFP) Oct 23, 2020
The Pentagon on Friday strongly condemned the test of a Russian-made S-400 missile defense system by NATO ally Turkey and warned of "serious consequences."

"The US Department of Defense condemns in the strongest possible terms Turkey's October 16 test of the S-400 air defense system," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement.

"We object to Turkey's testing of this system, which risks serious consequences for our security relationship," Hoffman said. "We have been clear and unwavering in our position: an operational S-400 system is not consistent with Turkey's commitments as a US and NATO Ally."

"Turkey has already been suspended from the F-35 program and the S-400 continues to be a significant barrier to progress elsewhere in the bilateral relationship," Hoffman said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday confirmed the first test of the Russian missile defense system and dismissed US criticism.

The US State Department issued a condemnation last week after reports of the test, following repeated warnings over possible sanctions if the S-400 system was activated.

Erdogan told reporters in Istanbul that tests had been carried out and would continue. "We're not going to ask America for permission," he said.

Ankara has accused Washington of failing to sell it the competing American Patriots and points to its security needs for purchasing the Russian system.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
SPHEREx completes first full sky infrared map of the cosmos
CoDICE instrument returns first-light particle data for IMAP mission
Webb maps carbon rich atmosphere on distorted pulsar planet

24/7 Energy News Coverage
The Quantum Age will be Powered by Fusion
Physicists map axion production paths inside deuterium tritium fusion reactors
Hybrid excitons speed ultrafast energy transfer at 2D organic interface

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
SDA expands Tracking Layer satellite awards and related missile defense contracts
Space Systems Command activates System Delta 80 for assured space access
Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions to provide SAR reconnaissance data to German military

24/7 News Coverage
Philosopher argues AI consciousness may remain unknowable
Climate driven model explores Neanderthal and modern human overlap in Iberia
Economic losses from natural disasters down by a third in 2025: Swiss Re



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.