A Patriot missile firing

January 15, 1999
Web posted at: 9:51 p.m. EST (0251 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States is sending a Patriot missile battery to Turkey as a possible defense against missile attacks from neighboring Iraq, U.S. officials confirmed Friday.

The Turkish government requested the Patriot unit. It will be sent to Incirlik Air Base in south-central Turkey, from which U.S. and British planes are enforcing a no-fly zone over northern Iraq.

In the wake of U.S. and British airstrikes on Iraq in December, the Iraqis have intensified their challenge of no-fly zones over northern and southern Iraq by targeting radar at planes and firing on them with surface-to-air missiles.

Iraq is believed to have some Scud missiles capable of reaching Incirlik, although Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. Michael Doubleday said there have been no indications of Scud activity in Iraq.

"We see no immediate threat to Turkey right now. But obviously there are a lot of hostile statements from Baghdad, and we think it's prudent to consider these kind of precautionary measures," said State Department spokesman James Rubin.

He called the arrangement to send Patriot missiles to Turkey "a pretty sure sign" that Turkey and the United States are "in sync" on policy toward Iraq. The Patriot battery will stay "for the duration of the current crisis with Iraq," Rubin said.

A team of specialists from the U.S. European Command in Germany arrived at Incirlik on Friday to make final technical arrangements for the Patriot deployment, Pentagon officials said.

The United States has previously installed Patriot missile batteries in Israel, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Each battery is normally supported by about 100 soldiers.

The Patriot air defense system, originally designed to shoot down aircraft, has been modified for use against short-range ballistic missiles. It was used extensively during the Persian Gulf War.

Reuters contributed to this report.