MIM-104 Patriot

Lockheed Martin Chief Executive Marillyn Hewson said Poland and Turkey were interested in the company's MEADS missile defense system, which has already been selected by Germany.

NATO allies plan to send patrol aircraft and missiles to strengthen Ankara's air defenses on its border with Syria, officials said Dec. 1, while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was working on new support measures for Turkey. 

NATO allies plan to send patrol aircraft and missiles to strengthen Ankara's air defenses on its border with Syria, officials said Dec. 1, while NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance was working on new support measures for Turkey. 

Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine by a Russian-made Buk missile, the Dutch Safety Board concluded on Oct. 13 in its final report on the July 2014 crash that killed all 298 people on board.

The long-awaited findings of the board, which was not empowered to address questions of responsibility, did not specify who launched the missile. 

The U.S. has started to pull its Patriot missiles stationed in Turkey, despite a recent appeal from Ankara to its NATO allies to keep the air and missile defense units at a delicate time on the border with Syria. 

Turkey is continuing talks with NATO and its bilateral partners to enhance its defense capabilities, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç said Oct. 9, noting the discussions include Patriot missiles.

Patriot missiles deployed in Turkey since 2013 to guard against rockets from Syria will be removed for planned upgrades in October, despite the ongoing crisis across the border, the Pentagon said on Oct.1.

The U.S. will send an additional anti-missile Aegis-equipped ship to the Mediterranean this fall to defend Turkey and other NATO allies against ballistic missile threats, U.S. Navy spokeswoman Cmdr. Pamela Rawe told Anadolu Agency on Aug. 19. 

"The U.S. is committed to the defense of our NATO allies, which includes Turkey," Rawe said.

No decision has yet been taken on replacing German Patriot anti-missile systems and NATO is continuing consultations on the issue after Germany decided to pull out its Patriot batteries in Turkey, a Turkish diplomat has told the Hürriyet Daily News.  

The United States announced on Aug. 16 that it had informed the Turkish government that the U.S. deployment of Patriot air and missile defense units in Turkey, which expires in October, will not be renewed. The announcement came one day after Germany also said it would pull its Patriot missile batteries from southern Turkey.