If I recall correctly, a Turkish official even attended a live fire test of the SAMP/T system in Italy, right?
The
‘SAMP/T-MAMBA’ was deployed by Italy in Turkey as part of NATO's package of assistance measures before the July 9, 2016 until now July, 2017. So they (Turkish military officials) had every leisure to observe it. If it replaced very easily the system
‘MIM-104 Patriot’ on the theater of operation this demonstrates its undeniable efficiency.
Quote :
Pinotti visits Turkey: Italy- Equal Engagement on the Eastern and Southern Flanks
Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti, on an official visit to Turkey, has met her Turkish counterpart Fikri Isik and the Italian military contingent engaged in mission “Sagitta”
Istanbul 10 May 2017
Minister Pinotti has paid an official visit to Turkey to hold institutional talks: the first one, a bilateral meeting with the Turkish Defence Minister, Fikri Isik, focused on common security and international defence themes.
The main stop of the Minister’s trip to Turkey was her visit to the Italian contingent engaged in operation Sagitta, aimed at controlling NATO’s south-eastern borders, along the Turkish-Syrian border.
The Minister was welcomed in Kahramanmaras by Joint Operations Command Commander, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone.
Within the framework of NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS) Italy, following a specific request by Turkey, contributes to defending the Alliance’s air space and territories against a possible missile threat from the territories of the Syrian state.
On this occasion the Minister underscored that, at a time when, due to the Syrian war, terrorism extends its threat to neighbouring countries, Italy has responded to NATO’s request to intervene in the area, based on a rotational system involving other member countries.
“Italy continues to strongly support NATO engagements at its eastern and southern borders : our cooperation with Turkey to control the Syrian border falls within this framework”, Roberta Pinotti said. She then continued: “Some time ago, within the framework of the rotational engagements assumed by a number of NATO member countries, we declared to be available to replace, at the end of its term, the Spanish anti-missile battery, and we did it because we deem that NATO must commit itself at 360° at both its southern and eastern border”.
Italy has gained Turkey’s support to the establishment of a new NATO operation’s coordination and command centre for the Mediterranean in Naples.
In her speech to the contingent, the Minister underscored the excellent cooperation with the Turkish Armed Forces: “This morning I spoke with the Turkish Minister of Defence, Fikri Isik, who has thanked our country for the great job you are doing, and also for the good relationship you were able to establish with the Turkish military”.
During her stay in Istanbul Roberta Pinotti has also attended IDEF 2017, the 13th edition of the International Defence Industry Fair, where she visited the stands of a number of Italian leading companies.
An Italian anti-missile SAMP-T battery and an Army unit made up of approximately 130 military (4th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment- Peschiera, plus some staff officers from Anti-Aircraft Artillery Command “Sabaudia”) are currently deployed in Turkey.
The SAMP-T battery provides anti-aircraft and anti-missile defence to land forces and, if necessary, concurs to air space integrated defence. It has a high level of tactical mobility and can easily be redeployed using land, air or naval assets.
The Italian contribution responds to NATO requests within the framework of its integrated defence and based on the rotation of NATO member countries.
Ministero della Difesa, Italia (Ministry Of Defense, Italy)
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