Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 31 / Trend, A. Tagiyeva /
Parts of Turkey's Patriot air-defense missile batteries have been shipped to their final destination from the port of Iskenderun in the Turkish province of Gaziantep, Anadolu said on Thursday.
About 70 boxcars with Patriot components, previously shipped by Alliance Charleston in Iskenderun, were sent to the city of Gaziantep.
It was recently reported that German Patriot Missile batteries were put on combat duty in the south-east of Turkey in the province of Kahramanmaras. This was told to the provincial governor Sukru Kocatepe by commander of the operative group of Bundeswehr in Turkey Marcus Ellerman.
Last week, batteries provided by the Netherlands were also put on combat duty. They are located in the province of Adana. In addition, each of these countries sent 250 to 400 military experts for system maintenance and management purposes.
In late November 2012, Turkey formally requested air-defence missile systems from the alliance.
The United States, Germany and the Netherlands agreed to supply batteries.
NATO decided to install missiles on December 4.