With Syrian threat still looming, German Patriot battalion ready for year 2

The soldiers of the third contingent of the German Patriot missile battalion in the eastern Anatolian city of Kahramanmaraş are settling in with their Turkish hosts and preparing to stay.

“When you have a look at the view over the city and the land stretching out behind to the border of Syria, we know why we are here,” 1st Lt. Diana W. says. The 29-year-old first lieutenant from eastern Germany came to Turkey three months ago with the third contingent of the German battalion. Here at the foot of the mountain range overlooking the city of Kahramanmaraş, she is one of the officers in charge of monitoring Turkish airspace and engaging in anti-missile combat if necessary.  

Her command post is directly connected to the truck-mounted Patriot missile launchers aimed at the sky. Once a missile enters Turkish airspace, it takes approximately 90 seconds from detection to confirmation of engagement and destruction of the target. So far, there has been no need for that to happen.

Threat to Turkey remains serious

About a year ago Turkey asked for NATO support in protecting their territory from a potential Syrian missile strike. In the past there had been incidents of mortar fire hitting the Turkish border region in which dozens were killed. Those incidents led to more deaths after Turkish troops retaliated with artillery strikes on several occasions. The Patriot system, however, is incapable of defending against the kinds of attacks that have come in the past -- small arms fire, mortars and artillery strikes.

As part of NATO's Active Fence mission, German, Dutch and American troops are filling a gap in Turkey's defenses, protecting the border cities Kahramanmaraş, Gaziantep and Adana from the threat posed by the Assad regime's missiles.

Although there haven't been any concrete threats to Turkey involving missiles, Ankara has requested an extension of the mission. According to NATO, the overall threats to Turkey remain serious.

On their radar screen, Diana W. and her comrades are capable of seeing events happening as far away as Aleppo. Some even have seen tactical missiles in the northern parts of Syria. “It is shocking if you notice something suddenly disappearing from the radar that was there just a few moments ago. In the evening when you turn on the news you can see the devastating outcome,” Diana W. says. The tactical missiles used by the regime have a range of up to 700 kilometers and could easily reach cities in Turkey.

Cooperation requires foundation of trust

The German military is working hand in hand with their Turkish hosts. Turkey is incorporating the German troops into their defense and providing them with accommodation and operational facilities. Furthermore, the Turkish military takes responsibility for the protection of the German troops so they can focus entirely on the mission.

Turkish and German military cooperation is hardly new. The two NATO partners have been working together since the first Gulf War, when German anti-aircraft batteries were stationed on a Turkish base in Diyarbakır. Since then there hasn't been much of a partnership. The start of this new stage of the two countries' military relationship was difficult due to the fast pace of the Patriot missiles' deployment. From the day Turkey filed their request for NATO assistance until the first soldiers arrived in Kahramanmaraş only four weeks passed, leaving very little time for the hosts to prepare.

The Turkish military base hosting the battalion was already filled to capacity and had to accommodate 300 additional troops. Overcrowding and cultural differences led to tensions that had to be dealt with, and were dealt with successfully, Cpt. Markus M., the head of host-nation support, says. His duties include discussing problems with his Turkish counterparts and finding solutions. Every week a bilateral council meets to discuss the events of the upcoming week. Furthermore, frequent soccer games and barbecues with Turks and Germans help break down cultural boundaries and build team spirit. “The work we do requires a foundation of trust and can only be accomplished through constant effort,” Markus M. says.

Germans prepared to stay

The current mission is scheduled to end in January 2014 and must be renewed. Therefore, the approval of NATO is needed as well as the authorization of the nations involved. After months of coalition talks, the new German government was formed last week and is expected to decide soon on a new mandate.

It is very unlikely that the mission will not be continued next year. For the commander of the German unit, Col. Bernd Stöckmann, the situation is clear. “The Syrian conflict does not allow us to relax. My soldiers are here and are doing their duty, prepared at all times and with all efforts.