Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Dennis Donovan

(18,770 posts)
Tue Jun 30, 2020, 09:13 AM Jun 2020

GOP Senator Seeks Amendment Allowing the U.S. to Buy Russian Defense System

https://www.newsweek.com/us-could-buy-russian-defense-system-turkey-senate-proposal-1514305

BY JAMES WALKER ON 6/30/20 AT 6:50 AM EDT

The U.S. could be permitted to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system from Turkey under a Senate amendment proposed last week.

Under the amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021 proposed by Senate Majority Whip John Thune, the U.S. Army would be able to purchase the S-400 missile defense system from Turkey, provided the country certified that money from the purchase would not be used to buy equipment deemed "incompatible" with the NATO alliance.

The proposal, first covered by Defense News, offers a potential remedy to tensions between Washington and Ankara over the country's purchase of the air defense system last year.

Shortly after Turkish officials accepted the Russian military technology, the U.S. removed Ankara from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program and originally threatened to withdraw Turkey's production work on the aircraft by March this year.

</snip>
9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
GOP Senator Seeks Amendment Allowing the U.S. to Buy Russian Defense System (Original Post) Dennis Donovan Jun 2020 OP
Oh that a good idea... 2naSalit Jun 2020 #1
Catch-22 finally caught up with us. Senator Milo Minderbinder has such a nice ring to it. marble falls Jun 2020 #2
Thune is telling Putin... agingdem Jun 2020 #3
Wow jpak Jun 2020 #4
This sounds like a gun buyback program to get weapons off the street. LastDemocratInSC Jun 2020 #5
Russia. Turkey. Berman's firing. soothsayer Jun 2020 #6
Bad timing. Laelth Jun 2020 #7
This isn't the worst idea ever tbh. Calista241 Jun 2020 #8
We get access to to a complete Russian SAM system plus get to sell F35s to Turkey hack89 Jun 2020 #9

agingdem

(7,756 posts)
3. Thune is telling Putin...
Tue Jun 30, 2020, 09:19 AM
Jun 2020

"those bounties must have cost you a pretty penny...here's a missile defense system...consider this a rebate...no hard feelings, big guy"

Calista241

(5,584 posts)
8. This isn't the worst idea ever tbh.
Tue Jun 30, 2020, 09:37 AM
Jun 2020

I doubt we’d ever field a Russian SAM battery in an operational way, but the Russians have invested heavily in missile based air defense. Something the US hasn’t really done in the recent past as we’ve relied on stealth technology and the lack of our competitors investing in it to protect US air space.

We do have a low altitude stinger based missile system, and we’ve purchased a Norwegian Surface to air conversion of the air to air AMRAAM and deployed it to protect Washington DC. But those are only effective at a relatively low altitude. The Russian S300 and S400 missile systems are much longer range and much more highly regarded missile systems.

The Patriot missile system is hot garbage, and the THAAD is more focused on ballistic missile defense.

If we could get our hands on them, take them apart, figure out how it works, we’d cut years of development time (and billions of dollars) off of a SAM program of our own. The S400 is a 4th generation long range air defense system. Getting our hands on it would be a boon technologically, and a giant slap in the face to Russia and their “Turkish” alliance. Even if we paid double, triple or quadruple what the Turks paid.

hack89

(39,171 posts)
9. We get access to to a complete Russian SAM system plus get to sell F35s to Turkey
Tue Jun 30, 2020, 09:46 AM
Jun 2020

this would be a good move if we can pull it off.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»GOP Senator Seeks Amendme...