Ankara, Feb 20 (IANS): Russia will deliver the first batch of S-400 air defence system to Turkey in July and the missile systems will be activated in October, officials here said on Wednesday.
"Delivery of the S-400 system will begin in July. And in October, the system will be active," said Ismail Demir, head of Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries, in a televised interview.
"There are two systems, and the second system's calendar is shifted. There is no problem," he added.
"Turkey needs more than two air defence systems and has been conducting talks over the purchase of Patriot surface-to-air missile (SAM) system from the US as well," Demir was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had reportedly said last week that the US cannot fulfil Ankara's two basic conditions for buying the Patriot: Offering credit and joint production.