Israel Matzav

Turkey's x-band radar deal

On Friday, I reported on Turkey's agreement to install x-band radar as part of a NATO early warning system. Relying on a Wall Street Journal report, I wrote that the United States would control the system - as it does in Israel and Japan - and that therefore the United States would share information with Israel, contrary to Turkish insistence that Israel not be a beneficiary.

I also reported that Iran - which Turkey had insisted not be explicitly mentioned as an enemy - was not explicitly mentioned, but the system is intended to defend against attacks by Iran on NATO members and on Israel.

Turkey's Zaman reported differently on Friday (Hat Tip: Joshua I). They say that no enemies were named.

The summit came after months of discussions between Turkey and the US, in particular over some aspects of the proposed shield, most notably whether countries such as Turkey's neighbors Iran and Syria should be named as potential threats. Ankara insisted that the proposed system should provide protection for all territories of member states and that reference to any country would undermine the defensive nature of the shield by antagonizing countries singled out as a threat. The Turkish insistence paid off in the end as the NATO summit endorsed the missile defense system plans without naming any country as a potential threat.

And Hurriyet discusses the question of sharing data with Israel, where it seems that Turkey did not get its way.

There were two main concerns for Turkey before joining the project. The first one was that despite the fact that radar would be deployed at a location in Turkey, a small piece of its territory in eastern Anatolia close to Iran would not be covered by the shield. Turkey demanded the deployment of anti-ballistic Patriot missiles in this region to fully secure its territory. Turkey’s second concern was that data collected at the radar site could be shared real-time with Israel. The WSJ said the U.S. officials told Turkish counterparts that “the U.S. has a ‘separate and robust’ missile defense relationship with Israel, where the U.S. based high-powered X-Band radar in 2008 to bolster Israel’s missile defenses.”

However, it also said data from any U.S. radars around the world could be fused with other data to maximize the effectiveness of its missile defenses. Still, as Turkey announced its decision to deploy radar in its territory, it seems a deal has been reached on Ankara’s specific concern regarding Israel.

I think the 'deal' is that the US controls the radar in Turkey, just as it does in Israel and Japan and that if it wants to share data with Israel in real time, it will share data with Israel in real time.

What could go wrong?

Labels: NATO, Turkish obsession with Israel, x-band radar

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:28 PM