ANKARA

The Turkish Defense Ministry said on Thursday that NATO’s ballistic missile defense system is “entirely defensive in nature" and aims to support “deterrence and defense, two of NATO’s core missions.”

The ministry made the remarks as it answered frequently asked questions about NATO’s ballistic missile defense program.

“NATO Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) is part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) system,” the ministry said, adding that the system “does not belong to a single country."

“The system consists of a combination of NATO’s common infrastructure and the contributions provided by allied nations,” the ministry added, stressing that it plays an “important role in NATO’s security architecture alongside conventional forces and nuclear deterrence.”

Emphasizing that ballistic missiles have become “one of the most significant threats” in the international security environment in recent years, the ministry said that for this reason, NATO has established a “comprehensive defense architecture to protect its population, territory, and forces in Europe against ballistic missile threats.”

In response to a question about how NATO’s ballistic missile defense works, the ministry said the system comprises three main elements: sensors, command-and-control systems, and interceptor systems.

First, sensors detect a ballistic missile launch at an early stage. Second, command-and-control systems evaluate the data, analyze the threat, and determine the appropriate defensive response.

Finally, interceptor systems are used to neutralize the threatening ballistic missile during flight, the ministry said.

When these three elements operate together, NATO’s ballistic missile defense system functions by detecting the threat, tracking it, assessing it, making an engagement decision, and intercepting it, the ministry added.

Regarding an inquiry on what the contributions of allied countries are to NATO BMD, the ministry said different countries contribute in different areas, listing major contributors as:

Germany: Hosts NATO’s ballistic missile defense command center at Ramstein Air Base.

US: Provides key systems under the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA).

Türkiye: Contributes through the early-warning radar deployed in Kurecik, Malatya.

Romania: Hosts the US Aegis Ashore missile defense system at the Deveselu base.

Poland: Hosts another Aegis Ashore facility at the Redzikowo base.

Spain: Hosts US warships with Aegis BMD capability at the Naval Station Rota

In addition, some allied countries contribute to NATO ballistic missile defense with systems such as Patriot or SAMP/T air and missile defense systems, radars, or warships, the ministry added.

*Writing by Berk Kutay Gokmen