Qatar To Purchase $2B Patriot Missile Defense Systems

Raytheon said it is aiming to sign a deal worth $2 billion with Qatar by year end for the supply of Patriot missile defense systems, officials said at the Farnborough International Airshow on Tuesday. The deal is part of a $11 billion Foreign Military Sales agreement announced on Monday in Washington between the governments of Qatar and the United States, which also covers 24 Apache helicopters and 500 Javelin anti-tank missiles. (AFP/Defense News, 15 July)

Qatar will reportedly receive about 10 Patriot batteries.

Meanwhile, at Farnborough F-35 was the dominant topic without being there. The Pentagon had announced earlier that it would allow the planes to fly after being grounded when a F-35A model caught fire in June.

Top photo: Qatar and Raytheon hope to agree on a deal by year-end on the purchase of Patriot batteries. (Raytheon/Defense News)

Bottom photo: F-35 (Lockheed Martin)

IDF, U.S. Rehearse for Missile Attack against Israel

Similar Exercise in Jordan

The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and the U.S. military conducted a large drill on Sunday, simulating a multi-front missile and rocket attack on Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. About 1,000 American troops stationed in Israel and more than 4,000 Israeli soldiers took part in the exercise. (Channel 2/Arutz Sheva, 18 May)

The exercise reportedly tested various scenarios, including one involving U.S. Patriot missiles and Aegis-class ships defending against any incoming ballistic missiles. Also tested, were scenarios in which missiles and rockets are fired in large quantities from many different arenas.

Israel also rehearsed the use of its Arrow missiles, as well as Patriots, the Iron Dome and Magic Wand systems. The Magic Wand is at development stage.

At the same time, hundreds of American troops are practicing a similar exercise in Jordan.

Photo credit: Iron Dome in action. (Arutz Sheva)

U.S. Completing Deployment of Patriot Missiles in Turkey

The U.S. military will complete deployment of Patriot surface-to-missile batteries in Turkey on Saturday, Stars and Stripes reported today. Turkey had requested the air defense support to protect the country against any Syrian missile attack.

U.S. soldiers from Army’s Air Defense Artillery will operate the Patriot batteries that are being set up around the Turkish city of Gaziantep, less than 80 miles from the embattled city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city. Germany and the Netherlands are also sending Patriot batteries as well and will deploy to other parts of the Turkish-Syrian border. (Stars and Stripes, 9 January)

In all, NATO allies are sending six Patriot batteries and about 1,200 troops to Turkey. The air defense operation is dubbed “Active Fence.”

In December, Iran’s top uniformed officer, Maj. Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi, objected to the planned deployment of the Patriots on Turkish soil, warning that it could lead to “world war.”

Photo credit: Patriot missiles are loaded onto a C-5 Galaxy for deployment in Turkey at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Tuesday 8 January 2013. (U.S. Air Force/ Caitlin O’Neil-McKeown)

Turkey Will Not Participate In Military Action Against Iran – FM Spokesman

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said in an interview with al-Manar TV on Sunday that Turkey has assured Iran that it will not participate in any military action against the Islamic Republic. Mehamparast added that Turkey will not allow its airspace to be used for any attack on Iran.

On the deployment of Patriot missiles on Turkish soil, Mehmanparast said the deployments were for protection of Israel, and not Turkey.

“Iran believes that Western countries and NATO have deployed the system in Turkey with the aim of supporting the Zionist regime so that in case of an Israeli military venture against Iran and Iran responding to such a measure, Western countries can safeguard Israel with the help of the missile system,” Mehmanparast said. (Today’s Zaman, 6 January)

File photo: Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast (Reuters)

Patriots to Be Deployed in Three Turkish Cities

Patriot missile systems will be deployed in three Turkish cities of Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep and Adana, NATO announced in a statement released today. The U.S. will deploy its Patriot batteries in Gaziantep, while Germany and the Netherlands will deploy the air defense systems in Kahramanmaras and Adana respectively. The deployment will take place over the next few weeks.

“The aim is to deter any threats to Turkey, to defend Turkey’s population and territory and to de-escalate the crisis on NATO’s southeastern border,” said NATO in its statement. (Hurriyet Daily News, 24 December)

NATO’s deployment of Patriot missile systems in Turkey takes place amid strong Iranian objections. Last week, the chief of staff of Iranian armed forces said the deployment is meant to start a “world war.”

File photo: Patriot anti-missile systems at a presentation by the German military. (AP/Hurryiet Daily News)

Turkey: Iran's Patriot Missile Criticism ‘Unacceptable’

Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan today told the Turkish parliament that remarks made by Iranian officials on the deployment of Patriot missile air defense systems on Turkish soil are “no doubt unacceptable,” as Iran has offensive missiles with a range of 2,000-2,500 kilometers, capable of hitting Turkey.

On Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi criticized the deployment of the Patriot missiles, describing the move as “provocative.” Salehi’s comments were followed by cancellation of a planned trip to Turkey by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi, has also warned that the deployment to Patriots in Turkey were meant to start a “world war.”

Tensions between Turkey and Iran have risen over the Syrian crisis. Iran is a staunch ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while Turkey has been one of his fiercest critics and has supported the opposition.

Photo credit: Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan. 21 December 2012. (IHA/TodayZaman, Ahmet Topal)