ISTANBUL
The Turkish National Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that an additional Patriot system deployed by NATO Allied Air Command in Ramstein, Germany, is being stationed in Türkiye's southern Adana province, alongside the existing Spanish Patriot system.
Ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk made the remarks during a press briefing at the 10th Main Jet Base Command in Incirlik, Adana.
Akturk added that the deployment of the battery came “in addition to the measures taken at the national level to ensure the security of our airspace and citizens.”
He recalled that on March 13, a ballistic projectile fired from Iran that entered Türkiye's airspace was neutralized by NATO air and missile defense assets stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“We are maintaining contact with the relevant country to fully clarify all aspects of the incident, taking all necessary measures with determination against any threats to our national security, and closely and carefully monitoring developments in our region,” Akturk said.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing around 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
Regarding Israel’s ongoing attacks in the region, Akturk said that Israel “continues to violate the ceasefire reached in Gaza and to maintain pressure on the West Bank, including preventing Muslims from exercising their right to worship during the holy month of Ramadan.”
He also emphasized support for “Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity," reiterating the country's "call for the international community to fulfill its responsibility to end the pressure imposed by Israel on the Palestinian people,” and expressed his hopes that the conflicts in the Middle East come to an end “as soon as possible.”
The spokesperson said Türkiye’s naval vessels TCG Goksu, TCG Bayraktar, TCG Bartin, and TCG Yuzbasi Gungor Durmus are to depart from the Eastern Mediterranean for Somalia on March 25 as part of the Somalia Naval Task Group activities.
He added that the Türkiye-Brazil Naval Forces Cooperation Meeting will be held in Brazil on March 24-28.
Emphasizing the ongoing efforts to further increase the strength and effectiveness of the military, Akturk noted a number of “Super Simsek” aerial vehicles developed domestically by Turkish Aerospace Industries have been added to the inventory of the Air Force.
He also mentioned that Türkiye’s Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation has earned the AS9100 Aerospace and Defense Quality Management System Certificate, “which certifies compliance with global standards.”