US Defense Department eyes missile sale to Turkey
The US Defense Department has notified Congress that it plans to sell Turkey the most advanced version of its Patriot air-defense missile system, in a deal worth as much as 7.8 billion dollars, AFP reported on Monday. The move is designed to bolster the security of Turkey, a US ally and the only NATO member to have a land border with Iran.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said that the sale would include 72 PAC-3 interceptor missiles and a host of related hardware. The sale was essential for Turkey to maintain “a strong and ready self-defense capability that will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area,” the agency said in a statement to lawmakers.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency said that the sale would include 72 PAC-3 interceptor missiles and a host of related hardware. The sale was essential for Turkey to maintain “a strong and ready self-defense capability that will contribute to an acceptable military balance in the area,” the agency said in a statement to lawmakers.
The notification comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program, which the U.S. suspects has a military aim.
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