Turkey announces NATO's intention to deploy Italian air defense system in Konya

The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that Italy will deploy an air defense system in central Turkey as part of a NATO defense plan.

"Within the framework of NATO's existing defense plan, and with the aim of strengthening the alliance's air defense, Italy's SAMP/T air defense system will be deployed at the command of the third main air base in Konya," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday, June 16.

In addition , Turkish Chief of the General Staff Selçuk Bayrakdaroglu discussed with NATO Commander-in-Chief in Europe Alexus G. Greenković a number of issues related to defense and security at the regional and international levels.

NATO forces stationed in Turkey have shot down ballistic missiles fired from Iran four times since the outbreak of the Middle East war in February, prompting the alliance to deploy a new Patriot missile battery at Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said during a visit to Ankara in April that the alliance would do "whatever it takes to defend" its members, including Turkey.

In recent weeks, NATO has deployed one battery of the Patriot PAC-3 missile defense system at Incirlik Air Base and Korcek Air Base in Turkey, bringing the total number of batteries to four.

What are the specifications  of the "Samp-T" system?

The SAMP-T is a mobile surface-to-air missile system, developed as part of a joint project between France and Italy, that can be used against fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles and some ballistic missile threats.

It is characterized by advanced technical capabilities that make it one of the most important pillars of European and NATO air defense, especially with the introduction of the upgraded version of SAMP/T NG , which has raised the level of performance against aircraft, ballistic missiles, and high-maneuvering drones.

The system relies on an interception range of more than 100 kilometers and reaches more than 150 kilometers in the new version, with the ability to engage at altitudes of up to 25 kilometers, while the speed of its missiles exceeds Mach 4.5, giving it a great ability to pursue rapid targets within full 360-degree coverage thanks to vertical launch and multi-directional radars.

The battery consists of a command and control unit and vertical launch pads mounted on tactical trucks, each carrying eight missiles ready to launch, and the system's components can be airlifted via C-130 and A400M aircraft, with a full deployment time of 15 to 30 minutes, making it one of the fastest deployed and most flexible systems in modern theaters.

Turkey prepares to host NATO summit

Turkey is stepping up its logistical, security and diplomatic preparations to host the NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8, an event that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan describes as a "historic milestone" in the alliance's march, with the presence of US President Donald Trump and the 32-nation leaders confirmed.

Preparations include the opening of Ankara's second airport after being transformed within 230 days into an international airport dedicated to delegations, with a 3,000-meter-long runway, a plaza that can accommodate 44 presidential planes, in addition to a new highway that connects the airport directly to the summit headquarters.

 On the security front, Ankara has deployed about 70,000 personnel to secure the capital, while the deployment of the SAMP/T air defense system is part  of the comprehensive air protection plan, and the sessions will be held inside the presidential complex while the international media center will start operating on July 5. The municipality of Ankara has also launched urban beautification projects worth 70 million liras, while the total budget for preparations is close to 12 billion Turkish liras.