Radar went into operation in Turkey

A radar station of the NATO missile defense system in Europe has been put on combat duty in Turkey. According to the North Atlantic Alliance, the radar is designed to track missile launches in neighboring Iran to prevent a possible attack from the Islamic Republic. However, Russia believes that the new facility threatens its national security.

The decision to deploy elements of the European missile defense system being created in Turkey was made last year. In September, Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkey Feridun Sinirlioglu and US Ambassador to Ankara Francis Richardone signed a corresponding memorandum. Since then, American experts have carefully chosen the location for the radar. In total, according to Turkish media, four possible locations were selected, but in the end the choice fell on Kurecik County, Malatya Province in southeastern Turkey, where the second field army of the Turkish Armed Forces and an operational-tactical air force base are also stationed.

The AN/TPY-2 X-band radar will be able to track missile launches throughout Iran, which NATO officials say is the radar's main target. It is assumed that in the event of a missile launch, the Turkish radar will guide the target, transmitting all the necessary information about it to the missile defense bases that are supposed to be located in Romania. The radar will also operate in conjunction with US Navy ships equipped with the Aegis multifunctional combat information and control system, which, as part of the European missile defense system being created, will be on constant duty in the Eastern Mediterranean. The radar was made available to NATO by the United States, so the American military will serve at the facility. However, the local press assures that Turkish senior officers and generals will be part of the facility’s management team.

In Russia, this news was received with regret. Moscow views the European missile defense system as a likely threat to itself. Moreover, the United States refused to provide Russia with legal guarantees that the missile defense system being created would not be directed against the Russian Federation. Last year, Washington also rejected Moscow’s proposal to jointly use the Russian-leased Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan to monitor Iran. As a result, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in November last year that Russia was beginning to implement a set of military-technical and diplomatic measures that would be a response to the deployment of a missile defense system in Europe.

Alexander Reutov

NATO missile defense has arrived