Turkish Air Force

The Turkish Air Force has increased the number of warplanes patrolling the Turkish-Syrian border after the downing of a Russian jet fighter by a Turkish F-16 on Nov. 24, while Moscow fortified its military presence in Syria with additional missiles. 

The Turkish Air Force has increased the number of warplanes patrolling the Turkish-Syrian border to 18 after the downing of a Russian jetfighter by a Turkish F-16 on Nov. 24 triggered unprecedented tension between Ankara and Moscow.   

A number of Greeks took to social media following Turkey’s downing of the Su-24 Russian jet, pondering hypothetical questions as to what would happen if Greece had shot down a Turkish plane for doing just what the Russian jet had done. After all, the Turkish air force isn’t a stickler for detail when it comes to violating Greek airspace.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that his country exercised its "international right and national duty" by downing a Russian warplane which the authorities in Ankara said had violated the Turkish airspace.

Turkey has the right to take "all kinds of measures" against border violations, Davutoglu said on Tuesday, according to Anadolu Agency.

Russia has lodged a formal protest with Turkey over the downing of its Su-24 jet, TASS reported on Tuesday.

"The Russian Defense Ministry urgently summoned the Turkish military attache to present an official protest over the actions of the Turkish Air Force," the Russian news agency said, citing a statement from the ministry.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has cancelled his visit to Turkey scheduled for Wednesday following the downing of a Russian warplane by a Turkish Air Force jet.

Turkish security forces have refuted claims by Russian Air Force Commander Viktor Bondarev that a Russian aircraft had violated Turkey's airspace on Oct. 3 for a short while, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported. 

The U.S. has decided to sell Turkey $70 million worth of "smart bombs," a key item in a set of crucial weapon systems that Washington had been refusing to send to Ankara. 

The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of precision bomb kits valued at $70 million to Turkey, the Pentagon said on Oct. 29. 

Lawmakers have 15 days to block the sale, although such action is rare. Once it has cleared that hurdle, Turkey and the U.S. government can negotiate the actual sale. 

Turkey will mark the 92nd anniversary of the country's founding, Republic Day, on Oct. 29, with ceremonies and celebrations across the country.