NATO to deploy additional Patriot system in southern Turkey - ministry
NATO will deploy another US Patriot air defense system to southern Turkey, the defense ministry said on Wednesday, as the alliance moves to strengthen defenses amid missile threats linked to the Iran war.
The system will be stationed in Adana province, home to Incirlik Air Base, where US and other allied personnel are based, the ministry said.
“In addition to national-level measures… another Patriot system… is being deployed in Adana, in addition to the existing Spanish Patriot system,” the ministry said.
Turkey said last week NATO had also deployed a Patriot system in the southeastern province of Malatya, near a NATO radar base, as part of efforts to boost air defenses.
Ankara, which has NATO’s second-largest army and borders Iran, has relied on allied systems to intercept missiles it says were fired from Iran since the war began.
Incirlik Air Base hosts personnel from the United States and several NATO allies, including Spain and Poland.
