Italy will deploy a SAMP/T air defense system to central Turkey under a NATO plan aimed at strengthening the alliance’s air defenses, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
The system will be stationed at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in the central province of Konya, the ministry said in a statement.
The deployment comes after NATO air defenses intercepted several ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey earlier this year, according to Turkish officials. Turkey said in late March that NATO defenses had intercepted a fourth Iran-fired missile since the start of the Middle East war in February.
NATO has also strengthened its presence in southern Turkey with an additional Patriot missile battery at İncirlik Air Base in Adana province, according to state media reports.
The SAMP/T is a mobile surface-to-air missile system developed jointly by France and Italy. It is designed to intercept aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and some ballistic missile threats.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Ankara in April for talks with Turkish leaders ahead of the alliance’s upcoming summit and highlighted Turkey’s role in NATO and preparations for the meeting.
Turkey is scheduled to host the NATO summit in Ankara July 7-8.
© Agence France-Presse