A former Turkish minister has made a novel suggestion for how Turkey could dispense itself of its unused, strategic Russian-built S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems without antagonizing Moscow. Ankara could offer them for sale to other countries with friendly relations with Russia, namely Pakistan or India. Both of these rival countries might be interested in acquiring these missiles—which have remained unused since Turkey took delivery of them five years ago—albeit for markedly different reasons.
Turkish businessman and politician Cavit Caglar, who was Minister of State in the early 1990s, made the suggestion in an Aug. 5 interview with Turkey’s T24 newspaper.
“If it were me, I would sell the S-400s,” Caglar unequivocally declared, noting there are potential customers ready. When asked if Turkey’s close ally Azerbaijan, which received advanced S-300PMU-2s from Russia in 2011, would be one such customer, Caglar replied: “No, Pakistan will buy them, India will buy them.”
He added that selling the S-400 would make it easier for Turkey to get modern F-16s and regain admission into the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, which it was removed from in 2019 by Washington following the contentious acquisition. U.S. Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland suggested in January that Turkey could potentially reenter the F-35 program if it resolved the S-400 issue. Before its removal, Turkey had a lucrative role in manufacturing over 900 F-35 parts for operators worldwide and planned on acquiring 100 F-35As for its air force.
Furthermore, Caglar anticipates Russia will “excuse us” on the matter.
While out of government for decades, Caglar played an important role in repairing badly strained Turkey-Russia relations after Turkey shot down a Russian bomber over the Syrian border in November 2015. For his efforts, Russia awarded him the Order of Friendship in 2017. Consequently, his anticipation of how Russia would respond to Turkey selling the S-400s carries considerable weight.
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