Janes:
An Italian Eurosam SAMP/T (Sol-Air Moyenne Portée/Terrestre) long-range air-defence unit has arrived in southern Turkey’s Kahramamaras province as part of NATO measures to reinforce Turkey’s border defences against a possible Syrian missile threat.
The Italian SAMP/T surface-to-air missile (SAM) batteries, which replace German Patriot SAMs that were withdrawn last year, were deployed following a Turkish request to NATO to further bolster the country’s restive 900 km long border with Syria, where fighting has intensified between coalition forces and Islamic State militants. The Italian batteries’ equipment arrived at the Turkish port of Iskenderun on 5 June and was brought to the military post in Kahramanmaras by 10 trailers, along with 25 Italian Army personnel.
