Turkey considers purchasing Russian S-500 missile systems

The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey might buy the S-500 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, in addition to S-400 systems, a deal which has already been approved.
 S-500 anti-aircraft missile systems is a military equipment based on new physical principles, hypersonic weapons and next-generation S-500 missile defence systems.

Kanal 24 reports that Erdogan stressed that the contract for the S-400 systems is “a done deal,” and Ankara, in any case, will not refuse it. He also demanded that the US “stop trying to put pressure on Turkey through trade restrictions.” According to him, Turkey is ready to answer in kind.

Earlier the US stated that Ankara’s purchase of the S-400 systems from Russia might jeopardise the US-Turkish arms deal.

Earlier, President Donald Trump cancelled preferential trade with Turkey in the framework of the General System of Preferences.

The S-500 Prometey, also known as 55R6M Triumfator-M, is an anti-aircraft and anti-ballistic missile system currently under development in Russia.

"S-500 systems are on their way, as well as weapons based on new physical principles, hypersonic.

The S-500, designed by Almaz Antei, has a range of 600 kilometers. The system can simultaneously intercept up to ten ballistic and hypersonic missiles travelling at a speed of up to 7 kilometres per second.

The S-500 is a new generation surface-to-air missile system. It is designed for intercepting and destroying intercontinental ballistic missiles as well as hypersonic cruise missiles and aircraft, for air defense against Airborne Early Warning and Control, and for jamming aircraft.

With a planned range of 600 km (370 mi) for Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) and 400 km (250 mi) for the air defense, the S-500 would be able to detect and simultaneously engage up to 10 ballistic supersonic targets flying at a speed of 5 kilometres per second (3.1 mi/s; 18,000 km/h; 11,000 mph)[5][6] to a limit of 7 km/s (4.3 mi/s; 25,000 km/h; 16,000 mph).


It also aims at destroying hypersonic cruise missiles and other aerial targets at speeds of higher than Mach 5 as well as spacecraft.


The altitude of a target engaged can be as high as 180–200 km (110–120 mi).

It is effective against ballistic missiles with a launch range of 3,500 km (2,200 mi), the radar reaches a radius of 3,000 km (1,300 km for the EPR 0,1 square meter).