Turkey reportedly carried out a live-fire test of
its Russian-made S-400 defence systems on its Black Sea coast, drawing harsh
criticism from U.S. lawmakers on Friday.
A video, taken in the coastal city of Sinop and
posted on social media, showed a narrow column of smoke headed high into the
sky. In recent days, Turkey had issued notices restricting airspace and waters
off the coastal area to allow firing tests.
A U.S. official speaking to Reuters on the condition
of anonymity said Turkey had tested the S-400 system on Friday but did not
provide details.
Tests of the S-400s, if verified, could stoke
tensions between Turkey and the United States, which sharply opposed the
Turkish government’s $2.5-billion purchase of the system from Moscow on grounds
they compromise NATO’s defence network.
Washington has already thrown Turkey out of a
programme to produce and procure fifth generation F-35 stealth fighter jets,
and American lawmakers have pushed for sanctions on Turkey required by U.S. law
for doing business with Russia’s defence industry – a measure the Trump
administration has failed to impose.
U.S. Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, called the Friday’s test “unacceptable behaviour”
from a NATO ally.
The move damages the alliance and posed a direct
threat to the F-35 and other U.S. and NATO allies’ systems, he said in a
statement.
“U.S. law requires sanctions against countries that
continue to deepen their defence relationship with Russia, and the administration
should send a strong signal that Turkey must divest its S-400s,” he said.
Senator Bob Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said President Donald Trump’s affinity for
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
posed a serious threat to American national security.
“Today’s test by Turkey of the Russian-made S-400
air defence system is a stark reminder that Ankara is not deterred by simple
meek pleas coming from the Trump administration, Menendez said in a statement.
“Erdoğan
only responds to actions, not words.”
He said Turkey must be immediately sanctioned for
purchasing and using the system.
Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on
Military and Political Power (CMPP) at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
(FDD), and military analyst Shane Praiswater, wrote an opinion piece
(republished below with permission) on the implications Turkey's live-fire test
may have on its relationship with the U.S. and NATO:
Turkey reportedly conducted an expected live-fire
test on Friday of its Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile system. The test
represents a troubling milestone in the steady deterioration of Ankara’s
relationship with Washington and NATO – potentially increasing the chances that
Washington will impose sanctions on Turkey under the Countering America’s
Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
Turkey’s live-fire test follows unconfirmed reports
that Turkey had used the S-400’s radar to track a Greek F-16. Last year,
despite multiple pleas from the United States, Turkey activated the S-400 and
conducted initial testing. The live-fire test suggests that Turkey has no
intention of stashing the S-400, regardless of objections from Washington or
Brussels.
Turkey’s acquisition and activation of the S-400 are
troublesome for a number of reasons. First, they constitute a tangible
manifestation of Turkey’s drift toward Russia – one of the more significant
geo-strategic developments in recent years. This drift is particularly
problematic given Moscow’s activities in Europe and the Middle East that
threaten core U.S. and NATO interests. Turkey’s drift is also troubling due to
the country’s status as a NATO member as well as its strategic location.
Turkey’s employment of the S-400 is also concerning
given the system’s ability to practice identifying, tracking, and targeting the
F-35. Ankara’s assurances that such information would not find its way to
Moscow are not persuasive. The co-location of the S-400 and F-35 would likely
enable Moscow to gain valuable intelligence helpful for shooting down F-35s
flown by Americans and their allies. For this reason, Washington was right to
evict Ankara from the F-35 program last year.
Additionally, the United States and NATO have been
transitioning from the “Mode 4” aircraft-identification system to a
next-generation encrypted “Mode 5” system. This system allows NATO air defence
batteries and aircraft to discern whether an unknown aircraft is a friend or
foe. The United States will not allow the S-400 to have Mode 5 capabilities, as
doing so would allow Russia to break NATO identification codes and quickly
identify aircraft.
However, excluding Turkey’s S-400s from NATO air
defence systems would leave Turkey potentially shooting blind in a conflict,
when life-and-death decisions are made in seconds. Accordingly, in such a
scenario, Turkey would struggle to differentiate NATO from adversary aircraft –
potentially resulting in fratricide.
This reality would make Turkey a less capable NATO
ally and increase the risk for U.S. and allied pilots operating in or near
Turkish airspace.
This could have a direct impact on whether the
United States will want to maintain some military forces and systems at the
U.S. air base in İncirlik. Regardless, if
tensions continue to escalate, Ankara may evict U.S. forces from the base or
impose severe restrictions on U.S. operations emanating from the base.
In light of this possibility, one hopes that the
Pentagon has updated and detailed plans for the potential relocation of U.S.
forces from İncirlik. Greece may provide a
potential alternative.
In the meantime, in addition to any potential
imposition of sanctions, congressional leaders may want to request a classified
briefing from the Pentagon on the implications of this latest S-400 development
for U.S. and allied military operations and basing.
After all, an ally should not acquire a cutting-edge
air defence system from the leading threat to the alliance. With Erdogan once
again brushing aside American concerns, failing to respond assertively could
leave Ankara and others with the impression that they can ignore Washington
with few consequences.