NATO member Turkey to acquire Russian S-400 missiles

Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik announced Wednesday that his country will acquire Russian S-400 "Triumf" surface-to-air missiles for Turkey's air defense system. Isik rejected opposition by officials from other NATO member states and said that he realizes that if Turkey acquires the system it will not be able to continue sharing military intelligence with NATO. The S-400 Triumf, one of the most advanced systems of its kind, is intended to shoot down any aircraft or ballistic missiles within a range of 400 kilometers. It can identify 80 targets when fully deployed. DEBKAfile's military and intelligence sources report that there are concerns in the West that Russia will plant a secret code in the system that will provide Moscow with remote control and prevent any use of the S-400 against Russian planes or missiles.