Missile defense

Spain has decided on the extension of Patriot air defense missiles deployed in Turkey's southern Adana province for the next six months because Madrid attaches importance to its NATO ally's security concerns, Spanish Ambassador Juan Gonzalez Barba has told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Turkey bought the Russian S-400 missile defense systems to use, but still open to consider a U.S. offer on the Patriots, the head of Turkish Defense Industry Directorate said on Nov. 16.

Despite pressure from the U.S. against proceeding with a purchase of Russian missile defense systems, India has already paid for 15 percent of the total cost, an Indian media report claimed on Nov. 15

The delivery of the second batch of the Russian S-400 missile defense systems to Turkey may be delayed beyond 2020, the planned timeline, due to talks on technology sharing and joint production, the head of the country's Presidency of Defence Industries said on Nov. 4.

Turkey conducted a successful test-fire of the country's first indigenously developed sea-launched cruise missile, the head of Turkey's Defense Industries Presidency said on Nov. 4.

The joint exercise is held under the name "Slovenian Shield 2019", and it started with missile firing by Anti-Aircraft Defense Units of the Serbian Armed Forces and the Russian Air Force.

Russia and Turkey are in talks about extra deliveries of Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems to Ankara, the head of Russia's defense sales agency said on Wednesday, Reuters quoted the Interfax news agency as saying.

Turkey's alternatives for the US F-35 stealth fighter jets are ready and "offers are coming in," President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was cited as saying by broadcaster NTV on Tuesday.

The Spanish Embassy in Ankara has reiterated that Madrid has not yet made any official decision about the future of its continued deployment of Patriot air defense systems for the protection of the Turkish air space under a NATO mission.

Turkey has announced the completion of the transfer of the components of the S-400 air defense systems' second battery from Russia and that it will be operational by April 2020.