NATO forces work together for Patriot exchange

by Senior Airman Nicole Sikorski
39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

3/24/2014 - INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Airmen from the 39th Air Base Wing and 728th Air Mobility Squadron continued Incirlik Air Base's support of NATO's ongoing Patriot missile mission in Turkey by helping replace an Patriot missile for the U.S. Army 5-7 Air Defense Battalion March 20, here.

Airmen from the 39th Logistics Readiness Squadron and 5-7 ADA soldiers handled the paperwork, transportation and customs for the shipment while 728th Air Mobility Squadron worked by the aircraft coordination.

Personnel from the 39th Maintenance Squadron munitions secured the Patriot missile after it was downloaded from a U.S. C-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft.

The 5-7 ADA is deployed to Gaziantep, Turkey, where they provide round-the-clock augmentation of Turkey's air defense capabilities by means of two Patriot missile batteries located near the city.

The U.S. is joined by NATO partners, Germany and the Netherlands, in the deployment of Patriot missile systems to help protect the population and territory of Turkey against Syrian ballistic missile threats and to contribute to the de-escalation of the crisis along the Alliance's border.

NATO stated millions of people are better protected on Turkey south-eastern border as a result of the Patriot batteries.

Incirlik Air Base serves not only as a logistical hub for the ongoing NATO mission, but also hosts one of the two Dutch Patriot batteries that provides air defense support for the city of Adana.