Breedlove visits NATO forces in Turkey

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Cory W. Bush
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey --  Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, visited the Spanish Patriot Unit deployed to Adana, Turkey in support of the NATO-led Patriot missile augmentation of Turkish air defenses, May 14, 2015.

As part of the visit, Breedlove toured Adana's Patriot missile site and spoke with Spanish soldiers and local Turkish media about the importance of NATO's mission.

"The deployment of these forces, at the request of the Turkish government, is about NATO's core mission - the protection and defense of our members," Breedlove said. "Security remains crucial to our mission because Turkey's border is also NATO's border and I'm appreciative that our allies remain committed to this vital mission."

Furthermore, Breedlove discussed the importance of Turkey's contributions to the combined defense efforts.

"Turkey is a tremendous ally contributing to the Alliance's collective defense and the stability of the region," he said.

Breedlove also expressed his gratitude to the NATO allies that have remained committed to the mission.

"I would like to recognize Spain, Germany, Netherlands and the United States for their contributions and support to Turkey's border by reinforcing Turkey's air defenses against the threats posed by Syria," Breedlove said.

Previously maintained by the 1st Netherlands Ballistic Missile Defense Task Force, the Spanish Patriot Unit assumed control of the air defense mission in Adana, Turkey during a change of responsibility ceremony January 26, 2015.

Along with the Spanish operated battery, NATO forces also operate additional batteries in two other locations respectively in Turkey: Gaziantep and Kahramanmaras. The Patriot missile augmentation program, which began in January 2013, is currently under the control of Breedlove.