I should think the batteries would be themselves targeted by stand-off missiles as soon as any situation deteriorated to a shooting match. > the very fact that

I should think the batteries would be themselves targeted by stand-off missiles as soon as any situation deteriorated to a shooting match. > the very fact that the HQ-9 could compete for an international missile tender against American, Russian and European systems — and win — is an indication of just how capable the Chinese weapon is. The odd-one-out in that list is Russia. Turkey might be very reluctant to deploy a Russian system, however cheap it might be up-front. Although relations were much warmer back in 2015, Turkey even then would not want to be dependent on Russia's good-will to keep a missile system running. So shouldn't that quote read "cheap" rather than "capable"? Almost all defence acquisitions are really about backhanders and trade deals etc.