The first details of NATO's new mission "to help increase Turkey's air defense capability from potential Russian threats" begin to leak out. What was technically called "air defense package" includes AWACS systems, armed fighters, missiles Patriot and a greater naval presence.
Just in these hours the organization is working out ways, execution times and appurtenances. That they are countermeasures to discourage possible Russian aggressions, seems to be out of the question following the crisis between Ankara and Moscow, culminating in the demolition of the Russian Su-24.
The Kremlin, it should be remembered, commenting on the episode has repeatedly spoken of "revenge". The latter, according to the Russians, was not limited to trade sanctions. Germany has already announced the deployment of an AWACS platform. The Boeing E-3 Sentry he was transferred from Geilenkirchen to a Turkish air base in the central province of Anatolia, the Konya Air Base. Since last October, i Patriot Americans in Turkey have been removed from the US for maintenance. Missile systems that the Pentagon would not have redirected, giving a mandate to NATO to defend Turkish airspace.
The missile batteries of Germany and the Netherlands had been deployed in the province of Kahramanmaras, in southern Turkey, 100 kilometers north of the border with Syria, at the beginning of the 2013. The redeployment became necessary after Ankara asked the Alliance for more air protection and assistance. Earlier this year, the Berlin government said it would not renew the mandate Patriot in Turkey.
Currently Turkish airspace is defended under NATO aegis by missiles Patriot provided by Spain stationed in the southern province of Adana, near the military base of Incirlik (home of the US bombers deployed against ISIS). Considering that every NATO country will have to play its part in defending the Turkish ally, we could already assume Italy's role. The Italian government, in fact, could be "called" to provide armed fighters for Air Policing. The Organization's decision was made on 18 last December. The operational plan is still awaited.
Currently, this is NATO's effort to protect Turkey. Spain: missiles Patriot. Germany: systems Awacs and surface ships currently deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean. Denmark: naval patrolling in the Eastern Mediterranean. Italy: Air Policing?
(photo: Aeronautica Militare)
