U.S. Air Force supports defense of Turkey

  • Published
  • By 18th Air Force Public Affairs
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. (AFNS) --  Mobility Airmen are enabling their Army counterparts to meet a Secretary of Defense order to move two Patriot anti-missile batteries and hundreds of soldiers to defend Turkey -- a U.S. ally and one of 28 NATO member countries.

Working 24 hours a day, Airmen are meeting NATO's request to deploy two Patriots to Turkey as a defensive measure intended to de-escalate the situation along the Syrian border while demonstrating the alliance's resolve, according to officials.

"This operation is a great example of how Airmen support our allies across the globe every day," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Larry Martin, 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) vice commander. "The Air Force has the means to provide rapid global mobility in support of an important ally to demonstrate the strength and capability of both the U.S. and the NATO Alliance."

The operation is expected to extend into early next week, ultimately resulting in the deployment of approximately 400 U.S. service members and equipment supported by a KC-10 Extender.

Extender and KC-135 Stratotanker air refueling aircraft, six C-5 Galaxy airlifters will transport the Patriot batteries and much of the equipment and personnel belonging to the 3d Battalion, 2d Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Ft. Sill, Okla., directly from here to Turkey. Additionally, several C-17 Globemaster III aircraft will depart from here to create an air bridge allowing further deliveries into Turkey, officials said.

According to air mobility leaders, an effort of this speed and scope in the midst of ongoing support to forces throughout Southwest Asia demands contributions from a total force team: active, Air National Guard, and Reserve Airmen.

That team includes planners, mobility liaisons, contingency response Airmen, air crews, maintainers and dozens of other support personnel.

"Mobility Airmen are proud to be part of an amazing joint team supporting NATO," said Martin. "We take great pride in making complex global mobility requirements a reality."

Participating units include Airmen and aircraft from Bangor, Maine; Pease, N.H.; Joint Base McGuire-Dix Lakehurst, N.J., Pittsburgh Pa., Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass., and Martinsburg, W.Va.

According to a NATO news release, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States have offered to deploy two Patriot batteries each to Turkey.