Despite European protection offers, Turkey still wants S-400
Turkey is unlikely to be swayed from buying Russian S-400 missile defense systems, even if some European countries continue their defense of Turkish air space.
Ankara's move to purchase the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system has been wreaking havoc on its ties with Washington and will also affect its defense relations with European countries, particularly concerning the fate of Italian and Spanish batteries deployed in Turkey.
Turkey’s need for medium-range air defense systems has risen seriously with increased missile and rocket firings by Syria since 2014. In 2013, NATO had deployed Patriot air defense systems of the United States, Germany and the Netherlands close to the Turkey-Syria border to defend Turkish air space.
However, all three countries withdrew their batteries two years later, saying there was no missile threat from the Syrian side and the systems needed to be updated.
Italy and Spain, meanwhile, are still committed to defending Turkish air space and are keeping their systems in Turkey. Since July 2016, Italy has had its SAMP/T surface-to-air missile platform batteries in Turkey’s southern province of Kahramanmaras, and Spain has deployed its Patriot batteries in the southern province of Adana since June 2015. A few weeks ago, Ankara asked NATO to extend the missions of Italian and Spanish batteries, saying they are still needed given the uncertainties in the region.
