Press and Information Office of the Federal Government
January 8, 2014
Bundeswehr to Continue to Help Protect Turkey
German troops will continue to help protect Turkey. Germany’s air defense missiles are part of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) integrated air defense.
The mandate for the Active Fence mission is to be extended unchanged until January 31, 2015. The ceiling on German troops will remain at 400. Currently about 310 soldiers are serving in Turkey.
The extension of the mandate must still be approved by the German Bundestag.
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At the end of 2012 Turkey requested that NATO station Patriot air defense guided missile systems on its soil…In early November 2013 Turkey requested an extension. The role of German troops is to remain purely defensive.
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Turkey is still the NATO member state most seriously threatened by the conflict in Syria. Continuing tension along the Syrian-Turkish border underscores the threat…
Germany’s extensive engagement
Patriot system
The German contribution..in Turkey is part of the extensive efforts of the German government to contain the regional impacts of the crisis in Syria…
The Bundeswehr troops have the following duties:
Supporting NATO in its efforts to protect the Turkish people and Turkish territory within the framework of the NATO integrated air defense efforts
Collaborating on the airborne early warning system within the scope of aerial surveillance and sharing and comparing information gleaned on the situation
Ensuring the safety and security of Bundeswehr troops where this cannot be assured by Turkey.
NATO partners also extend their involvement
In January 2013 Germany, the Netherlands and the United States of America (USA) each deployed two Patriot units including auxiliary personnel in Turkey. Both the Netherlands and the USA intend to continue to station their Patriot systems in Turkey. The Dutch parliament voted on December 17 to extend the pertinent mandate. The government of the USA has also already approved an extension and has informed the Turkish government accordingly.
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