NATO Deploys Additional Patriot Missile Battery in Southern Turkey

SadaNews - Turkey announced today, Wednesday, that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has deployed an additional Patriot missile battery at the Incirlik Air Base in the south of the country, following repeated interceptions of missiles launched by Iran since the outbreak of war in the Middle East.

A Turkish Defense Ministry official told reporters at the base located near the city of Adana, "Another Patriot system is being deployed, in addition to the Spanish Patriot system deployed there."

The ministry did not clarify which country will operate the new system, which is of the PAC-3 model.

Ankara confirmed on Friday that NATO forces intercepted a ballistic missile launched by Iran in Turkish airspace, marking the third such incident since the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28.

After the second interception operation, NATO deployed the Patriot system in the Malatya region where the Turkish Kurecik Air Base is located. This base includes an early warning radar system operated by NATO and staffed by U.S. forces, capable of detecting Iranian missile launches.

It is noted that the Patriot is a mobile air defense system designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles and low-flying cruise missiles, as well as aircraft.

According to U.S. Army data, the PAC-2 version can intercept aircraft and cruise missiles at ranges up to 70 kilometers, while the range for the PAC-3 version is between 20 and 35 kilometers against ballistic missiles.