Italy will strengthen NATO’s air defense by deploying the SAMP T system at the base in Konya. This is a response to the growing missile threat in the region.
Italy will deploy air defense systems in central Turkey as part of NATO’s defense plan, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. TASR informs about it based on the AFP report.
“As part of NATO’s permanent defense plan and with the aim of strengthening the Alliance’s air defense, one SAMP-T anti-aircraft system belonging to Italy will be deployed at… the base in Konya,” the ministry said in a statement. The mobile anti-missile system was developed as part of a joint Franco-Italian project against fighter jets, drones, guided missiles and some ballistic missiles.
NATO forces stationed in Turkey have shot down ballistic missiles fired from Iran four times since the outbreak of war in the Middle East (February 28). The alliance therefore deployed new batteries of Patriot missile systems at the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey. NATO chief Mark Rutte said during a visit to Ankara in April that the alliance would do “whatever it takes to defend” its members, including Turkey.
