Italy to Deploy Air Defence System in Turkiye Under NATO Plan

Email:online@newsofbahrain.com

Ankara: Italy will deploy a SAMP-T air defence system in central Türkiye as part of NATO's efforts to strengthen the alliance's air defence capabilities, the Turkish Defence Ministry announced.

The missile defence system will be stationed at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in Konya under NATO's standing defence plan, according to the ministry.

The SAMP-T is a mobile surface-to-air missile system jointly developed by France and Italy. It is designed to intercept a range of threats, including fighter aircraft, drones, cruise missiles and some ballistic missiles.

The deployment comes amid heightened security concerns in the region. NATO forces operating in Türkiye have intercepted ballistic missiles launched from Iran on four occasions since the outbreak of the Middle East conflict in February.

In response to the growing threat, NATO has also deployed an additional Patriot missile battery at Incirlik Air Base in southern Türkiye.

During a visit to Ankara in April, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the alliance would take all necessary measures to defend its member states, including Türkiye.

Türkiye is set to host a NATO summit on July 7-8, where regional security and defence issues are expected to be high on the agenda.

Pic Credit: AFP