North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Transformation
July 11, 2013
General Breedlove Visits PATRIOTS in Southern Turkey
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Six Patriot missile batteries have been operating under NATO command and control in southern Turkey since February 2013. The Alliance rapidly deployed these assets in order to augment Turkey’s air defence capabilities.
General Breedlove also met with members of the Turkish General Staff, where he discussed a wide range of subjects including the Patriot deployment, the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, and NATO’s various air and maritime operations.
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Adana, Turkey: General Philip Breedlove, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), visited military members serving on NATO’s deployment of Patriot missiles in Adana, Turkey on Thursday, 11 July 2013. The stopover was part of a three-day programme that also included a visit to NATO’s Land Component Command Headquarters in Izmir and meetings with the Turkish General Staff in Ankara, Turkey’s capital city.
General Breedlove assumed command of Allied Command Operations in mid-May 2013, and one of his initial priorities is to interact first-hand with military leaders from across the Alliance as well as to speak with soldiers, sailors, air personnel, and Marines serving on NATO operations, missions, and deployments. While in Adana, he had the opportunity to examine Patriot batteries in a deployed configuration, and more importantly, to speak first hand to the military personnel who are operating and maintaining these systems.
“I am extremely impressed with the contribution of our men and women serving on this Patriot deployment that is augmenting the air defence capabilities of our ally Turkey,” said General Breedlove.
“The Alliance’s southern border is located in a difficult neighbourhood and there is a level of instability here at the current time. It’s exactly why this manifestation of Alliance solidarity is so important to the people of Turkey and for all members of the Alliance,” he added. Six Patriot missile batteries have been operating under NATO command and control in southern Turkey since February 2013. The Alliance rapidly deployed these assets in order to augment Turkey’s air defence capabilities…
Two Dutch batteries are operating in Adana, two German batteries are in Kahramanmaras and two batteries from the United States are located in Gaziantep…
General Breedlove also met with members of the Turkish General Staff, where he discussed a wide range of subjects including the Patriot deployment, the ISAF mission in Afghanistan, and NATO’s various air and maritime operations.
“Turkey is an essential and valued NATO ally whose military forces bring a great deal of capability, expertise, and professionalism to the Alliance,” said General Breedlove…
“I was also excited to see the progress made by Lieutenant-General Ben Hodges and his team at Land Command Izmir,” said General Breedlove. “They only stood-up the headquarters a few short months ago, and they have already made tremendous strides in the important field of land operations,” he said.
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