NATO sends Patriot system to protect key air-defense radar in Turkey

ISTANBUL — The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that a Patriot air defense system is being stationed in Malatya, following waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks against key military infrastructure in the region.

“In addition to the national measures we have implemented, NATO has enhanced air and missile defense measures,” a government statement reads. “As part of this framework, a Patriot System is currently in Malatya and is being prepared for operational readiness to support the protection of our airspace.”

There is currently one Patriot system, from Spain, deployed at İncirlik Air Base near Adana as part of NATO defenses since 2015.

The second Patriot system was deployed from NATO’s Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany, the Turkish Ministry of Defense said. A TV crew from Malatya shared a short video on X showing one Oshkosh HEMTT A4 M983A4 Patriot tractor and trailer on the road yesterday.

The second Patriot system will be located near the Kürecik radar base outside Malatya. An AN/TPY-2 radar is based there as part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense architecture. In 2011, Turkey announced its decision to host a U.S.-owned missile defense radar as part of the alliance’s Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability.

The sensor provides warning against ballistic missiles fired from Iran early in their flight, providing precise tracking data to the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defense System.

Forward-based missile defense radar systems in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were attacked by Iran during the first week of the U.S. and Israeli Operation Epic Fury.

Since the start of the war, two ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey have been successfully intercepted by NATO forces in the region.

Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.

伊斯坦布尔——土耳其国防部宣布，在伊朗对该地区关键军事基础设施发动多轮导弹和无人机袭击后，将在马拉蒂亚部署一套“爱国者”防空系统。

政府声明称：“除了我们已实施的国家措施外，北约也加强了防空和导弹防御措施。作为这一框架的一部分，一套爱国者导弹系统目前已部署在马拉蒂亚，正在进行作战准备，以支持保护我们的领空。”

目前，西班牙制造的一套“爱国者”导弹防御系统自 2015 年以来一直部署在阿达纳附近的因吉尔利克空军基地，作为北约防御的一部分。

土耳其国防部表示，第二套“爱国者”导弹防御系统已从位于德国拉姆施泰因的北约盟军空军司令部部署。马拉蒂亚一家电视台的摄制组昨天在X频道分享了一段短视频，视频显示一辆奥什科什HEMTT A4 M983A4“爱国者”导弹防御系统牵引车和拖车正在路上行驶。

第二套“爱国者”导弹防御系统将部署在马拉蒂亚郊外的库雷吉克雷达基地附近。该基地目前部署着一部AN/TPY-2雷达，是北约一体化防空反导体系的一部分。2011年，土耳其宣布决定在其境内部署一部美国所有的导弹防御雷达，作为北约弹道导弹防御（BMD）能力的一部分。

该传感器可在伊朗发射的弹道导弹飞行早期发出预警，并向北约综合防空反导系统提供精确的跟踪数据。

在美国和以色列“史诗狂怒行动”的第一周，伊朗袭击了约旦、沙特阿拉伯和阿联酋的前沿导弹防御雷达系统。

自战争开始以来，伊朗向土耳其发射的两枚弹道导弹已被该地区的北约部队成功拦截。

杰姆·德夫里姆·亚伊拉利是《防务新闻》驻土耳其记者。他热衷于拍摄军舰，并对海军和国防议题充满热情。他出生于法国巴黎，现居土耳其伊斯坦布尔。他已婚，育有一子。