Russian Weapons Sales: Turkey prepares to receive Russian missile system, as questions swirl over potential US punishment - by Hollie McKay

The shipment of Russia’s highly-anticipated S-400 air defense missile system to Turkey is expected to roll out any day now, much to the indignation of many U.S. officials.

Despite the pressure, Turkey has refused to rescind.

“Ever since the U.S. support for the Kurds in Syria and suspected U.S. support of the attempted coup against the Erdogan government, the U.S. relationship with Turkey has been on rocky ground,”

 John Wood, a military analyst and author of “Russia, the Asymmetric Threat to the United States,” told Fox News. “For its part, Turkey’s support for the Muslim Brotherhood has won few friends in the Whitehouse. Putin has exploited the rift between the two countries to ensure Russia is one of the key players to any resolution of the Syrian civil war. The S-400 purchase represents rubbing salt in the wound.”

The effectiveness of the S-400 long-range, surface-to-air missile system in the theater of war remains to be seen. According to a National Interest analysis, the system boasts an impressive ability against a range of aerial targets including aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles but is yet to be tested in combat – however its use as an economic warfare tool cannot be underestimated.

Read more: Turkey prepares to receive Russian missile system, as questions swirl over potential US punishment | Fox News

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Russia sets new arms sales record in 2012

In 2012, Russia has topped the arms export plan, President Vladimir Putin said at the meeting of the commission on military and technical cooperation with foreign countries. "Their volume (the shipments of military products - Ed.) has exceeded 14 billion U.S. dollars, so we have topped the plan for the year," Puin said.

The plan for 2012 made up 13.5 billion dollars, according to Rosbalt. Last year, according to the Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), Russia exported military production overseas in the amount of 13.2 billion dollars. Most of the proceeds - 81 percent - fell for the contracts of defense export giant Rosoboronexport, the sole state intermediary.

"This year, we are entering a record level on export deliveries of military products," said Putin.

Read more: Russia sets new arms sales record in 2012 - English pravda.ru