Turkey plans to request NATO Patriot missile system: Report

Turkey plans to request NATO Patriot missile system: Report

Patriot missile defense system (file photo)

Fri Nov 2, 2012 7:32AM GMT

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Ankara is planning to ask NATO to dispatch its Patriot missile system in Turkey citing escalation of tensions on the border with Syria, a report says.

“We have been closely working with NATO on contingency plans regarding the developments in Syria and these plans also include the deployment of missile defense systems in Turkey,” Turkish newspaper Hürriyet Daily News quoted a senior Turkish diplomatic source as saying on Wednesday. 

“We are planning to make this request in the case of escalation of the scale of attacks against us,” the source added. 

Tensions between Turkey and its southern neighbor and former ally soared in early October when shells coming from Syria landed in the Turkish border town of Akcakale killing five civilians. 

Turkey retaliated against the deadly incident by shelling targets in Syria for several days. At least 10 Syrian troops were reportedly killed in the Turkish fire. 

Since then, the exchange of fire has repeatedly taken place. 

Turkey already hosts another NATO missile system it calls the early warning radar system in the Kürecik province of Malatya in Eastern Anatolia. 

Turkey has twice before requested the deployment of Patriot system, both during the first and second Iraq wars in the 1990s and 2000s. In both cases, deployments were carried out by the Netherlands, one of the few NATO members equipped with the system.

Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather system employed to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. 

The system is produced by Raytheon in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Florida. 

MA/MA 

http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2012/11/02/270019/turkey-to-request-nato-patriot-system/