Turkey to request Syria border missiles on Monday - Germany

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Reuters

(Reuters) - Turkey is expected to request on Monday that NATO missiles be placed on its border with Syria to defend against mortar rounds fired from its neighbour, Germany's defence minister said.

Only the United States, the Netherlands and Germany have the appropriate Patriot missile system available. Germany would analyse such a request "with solidarity", Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere said.

"I expect that there will be a request from the Turkish government today to NATO to deploy Patriot Missiles to the Turkish border," he told reporters in Brussels, on the sidelines of a meeting of EU defence ministers.


Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/19/uk-syria-crisis-germany-idUKBRE8AI0B120121119

[Lasher]

1. Can a Patriot missile shoot down a mortar round?

Don't think so.

[dipsydoodle]

2. My thoughts too

I assumed the missile would be targeted at the bases from which the mortars were being fired - the problem with that would be stand alone one off ground launchers.

btw - it doesn't follow Turkey will get them anyway.

[pinboy3niner]

3. No--but they could enforce a no-fly zone. nt

[Kolesar]

4. "We are not speaking about a no-fly zone. "

"...If we are to deploy patriot missiles it would be a purely defensive measure to defend and protect Turkey."

Yes, it does seem like an off base response. I would expect Turkey to find the mortar locations and shoot back with something bigger.

[pinboy3niner]

6. Yeah, it doesn't take Patriot missiles to defend against mortar fire

Counter-mortar measures target firing sites, not missiles in flight, and Turkey doesn't lack the military capability to handle that.

I mentioned NFZ because, among many calls for that, I saw someone interviewed on cable news yesterday who called specifically for a NFZ in northern Syria enforced by emplacement of U.S. missiles in Turkey.

[hack89]

7. C-RAM or Iron Dome are the only operational systems that can do that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counter_Rocket,_Artillery,_and_Mortar

[Lasher]

8. Thanks for the education.

I did not know that there was any system that could detect and engage a mortar round.

[Posteritatis]

9. Wow, knew about antimissiles but not that counter-mortar weapons were in the field. (nt)

[Lasher]

10. Hack89 inspired me to research.

This awesome gatling gun shoots explosive rounds that are also incindiary.

[Duckhunter935]

5. no

They can not shoot mortars and they are not capable of surface to surface, taking out launch sites. Aircraft or large missiles only.

[dipsydoodle]

11. Updated : Turkey agrees Syria missile defence with NATO members

(Reuters) - NATO member states have agreed to supply Turkey with an advanced Patriot missile system to defend against Syrian attacks and talks on its deployment are in the final stage, Turkey's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/20/uk-syria-crisis-turkey-idUKBRE8AJ0F620121120