'Turkish defense industry to continue to develop'

By Gokhan Ergocun and Aysu Bicer

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - Despite recent US sanctions, Turkey's defense industry will continue to develop, the head of the country's Defense Industries Presidency (SSB) said on Tuesday.

On the heels of Washington's sanctions over Ankara's purchase of Russian air defense hardware, Ismail Demir said: "The development of the domestic industry will continue, perhaps even faster. In a sense, this [sanctions] will be a flare and a warning."

"We expect this not to affect our relationships too much," Demir told reporters following budget deliberations in parliament.

The US Treasury Department on Monday imposed sanctions on Turkey over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system.

The sanctions, coming under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), target the SSB, including Demir and three other officials.

Underlining Turkey's NATO membership, Demir said Ankara has relations with the US in several fields.

He added that both sides aim to continue these relations.

In April 2017, when its protracted efforts to buy an air defense system from the US proved fruitless, Turkey signed a contract with Russia to acquire the S-400 shield.

US officials have voiced opposition to their deployment, claiming they would be incompatible with NATO systems and would expose next-generation F-35 jets to possible Russian subterfuge.

Turkey, however, stressed that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems, and posed no threat to the alliance or its armaments.