'Patriot' change of hands in Turkey

The first rotation of the sixth contingent in the Support Mission to Turkey, formed by the 73rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment (RAAA) departed from Spain on the 15th of July, to the Turkish Air Base – Incirlik, where they will be deployed for the next few months.

During the next few days they will complete the new contingent, providing relief to their unit colleagues who arrived in January.  During the last six months they have been providing protection, thanks to surface-to-air missiles, to the Adana-Turkish population from possible missile attacks coming from the Syrian border.

Spain joined this NATO mission in January of 2015.  The units that comprise the Order of the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment have created the distinct contingents that are deployed in Turkey.  The 73rd (RAAA), headquarters located in Cartagena, also provided the largest number of personnel in the fifth contingent.  They completed the contingent with soldiers from various units within the Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment.