NATO air defenses in the eastern Mediterranean shot down a second ballistic missile launched from Iran that entered Turkish airspace yesterday, as reported by the Turkish Ministry of Defense. According to EL MUNDO, it was the US air defenses responsible for the shoot-down, but the Spanish Patriot battery deployed at the Incirlik base as part of NATO's Persistent Effort mission collaborated in tracking the self-propelled projectile. As it happened last week, the Spanish Army's detection system provided the information to the Americans to carry out the shoot-down. Spain is thus fulfilling its commitments to its allied partners, but continues without deepening its support in the war just as French President Emmanuel Macron announced the sending of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Strait of Hormuz accompanied by eight other frigates.
After the incident, Ankara warned of the dangers of the war in Iran initiated by the attacks of the United States and Israel dragging the entire region into conflict. "We strongly reiterate our warning to all parties, especially Iran, to refrain from actions that endanger regional security and civilian populations," warned the Turkish government's communication chief, Burhanettin Duran. Turkey also warned that it will take "all necessary measures decisively and without hesitation" against any "threat directed at the territory," he insisted.
In these uncertain times, the role of the Spanish troops deployed in Turkey is essential to protect Turkish airspace and fulfill NATO's mission. The first contingent stationed at the Incirlik Air Base began its transfer to Turkey on December 29, 2014, replacing a month later the Dutch unit at Adana airport. Currently, the Patriot Unit consists of around 140 soldiers.
The reason for sending this Patriot battery, which has been in the country for 12 years, is in response to repeated violations of Turkish territory that are of great concern. In response, NATO decided to increase air defense capabilities to protect the country's population and territory and contribute to reducing the crisis on the Alliance's border. These systems are under the operational command of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and have the directive that any deployment "will be solely defensive. It will not in any way support a no-fly zone or any offensive operation."
On December 19, the contingent change took place at the base. The current one is under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Burgos, who faced "a new six-month stage of commitment and effort for the anti-aircraft protection of allied airspace, within the framework of NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defense."
Patriot missile batteries are one of the most well-known anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems in the world. Originally developed by the US company Raytheon Technologies for the US Army, it is designed to intercept planes, drones, cruise missiles, and tactical ballistic missiles. Its name comes from the acronym "Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target," which summarizes its basic principle: detect, track, and destroy aerial threats before they reach their target.
A Patriot battery is not a single launcher, but a set of elements. The core of the system is the multifunction radar capable of monitoring airspace and tracking dozens of targets simultaneously. The information collected by the radar is transmitted to the fire control center. From there, mobile launchers come into play, trucks equipped with containers housing the missiles. Depending on the version, each launcher can carry different types of interceptors, such as the PAC-2 or the more modern PAC-3, optimized to destroy ballistic missiles through direct impact.
A battery can include between four and eight launchers, in addition to command vehicles, power generators, and communication equipment. The entire system is designed to be deployed relatively quickly and operate connected to broader air defense networks, sharing data with allied radars and systems.
The Patriot system gained international notoriety during the Gulf War when it was used to try to intercept Scud missiles launched by Iraq. Since then, it has been modernized several times to enhance its capability against increasingly complex threats, such as hypersonic missiles or coordinated drone attacks.
Currently, Spain has three Patriot batteries in service, each with 18 launchers. One of them has been stationed in Turkey for a decade. Last December, the government approved the purchase of four additional Patriot batteries to modernize its anti-aircraft defense system. These weapons are part of the capabilities agreed with the Atlantic Alliance, which Sánchez assured could be met with 2% of defense spending, while NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated that more spending would be needed. Spain will invest 1.445 billion in the batteries, which will not be available until 2030.