NATO bolsters Turkey defenses with Patriot missiles

Facing threat of air attacks from Syria, Ankara receives contingent of German surface-to-air Patriot missiles.

By REUTERS
Patriot anti-missile battery 311 (photo credit: Reuters)
Patriot anti-missile battery 311
(photo credit: Reuters)
A contingent of German Patriot missile units arrived at the Turkish port of Iskenderun on Monday after a two-week voyage.
Germany shipped out the Patriots as part of a NATO operation to bolster Turkey's defense against a threat of air attacks from Syria.
German Patriot surface-to-air missiles will be deployed to Kahramanmaras Province in southeastern Turkey, about 100 kilometers away from the Syrian border.
The Netherlands, Germany and the United States are each sending two Patriot missile batteries and up to 400 troops to Turkey after Ankara asked for NATO's help.