NATO could ask Italy for SAMP / T missile batteries to defend Turkish airspace. It is as clear from sources close to the Alliance.
After the withdrawal of the Patriot Americans and Germans from the cities of Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras, ground-to-air coverage under NATO aegis is entrusted to Spanish missile batteries. Madrid, after an eleven-month redeployment, decided to extend its involvement in the "Active Fence" operation until 31 December of the 2016. I Patriot Spanish PAC-2 (six launchers for a total of 24 surface-to-air missiles) are deployed near Adana, the fifth most populated city in Turkey, at 63 miles from the border with Syria.
In the last few hours, NATO would also be considering Italy's involvement. The runway of theAir Policing, the Italian government could be formally asked to deploy some platforms SAMP / T. Short-to-medium-range surface-to-air missiles would be integrated into the network Patriot already in service.
Meanwhile, the US NAVY has already announced the permanent redeployment in the Black Sea of one of the four destroyers class Arleigh Burke stationed in Rota, Spain. If so, the new NATO architecture in defense of Turkish airspace after the withdrawal of Patriot Germans and Americans, it would be based on several fire platforms guaranteed by Spain and Italy (from the land) and the United States and Denmark by the sea. Germany has already deployed a Boeing E-3 Sentry in the Turkish air base of Konya, in the central province of Anatolia.
Il SAMP / T is a latest generation ground-to-air missile system developed by the European consortium EUROSAM (formed by the companies MBDA Italia, MBDA France and Thales) for Italy and France in order to replace the missile system HAWK. Basato on the missile Aster 30, is considered able to intercept enemy aircraft at over 100 km and ballistic missiles at a maximum of 25 km. The standard configuration of a launcher is based on a battery of eight missiles.
"The weapon system is characterized by high tactical and strategic mobility (it can be easily deployed by air, sea and rail)".
(photo: MBDA)
