13.02.2025 12:30
Sources from the Ministry of National Defense made important assessments regarding Turkey's sale of meteor missiles, which has brought France and Greece into confrontation. The sources stated that the missile acquisition is part of the package related to the Eurofighter procurement process and that the work is proceeding smoothly.
The Ministry of National Defense held a weekly briefing meeting. Speaking at the press conference held at the ministry, the Ministry of National Defense Press and Public Relations Advisor and Spokesperson Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk conveyed the latest developments on the agenda. In the briefing, a statement was also made regarding Greece's reaction to France due to Turkey's planned acquisition of meteor missiles.
CROSS-BORDER OPERATIONS
Rear Admiral Aktürk reported that operations conducted in Iraq and Syria continue uninterrupted, stating, "As a result of the counter-terrorism operations carried out in northern Iraq and Syria, 56 terrorists have been neutralized, and a large number of weapons, ammunition, and supplies belonging to terrorists were seized in a cave identified in the Pençe-Kilit Operation area. Along our borders, 140 individuals attempting to cross illegally, including 4 members of terrorist organizations, were captured, while 1,799 individuals were prevented from crossing the border. Thus, since January 1, the total number of terrorists neutralized has reached 377, including 134 in Iraq and 243 in northern Syria, while the number of individuals caught attempting to cross our borders illegally is 614, and the number of individuals prevented is 8,181," he stated.
Rear Admiral Aktürk expressed that Israel continues its violations of international law, decisions, and statements, saying, "It is essential to implement a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders to put an end to the oppression faced by Palestinians, who are subjected to unreasonable, unserious, and legally unfounded impositions to be displaced from their lands to other countries."
Providing information about the program of Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler, Rear Admiral Aktürk stated, "Our esteemed President participated in the memorial ceremony held in Hatay on the anniversary of the February 6 earthquakes, and our Minister, who attended the 'Earthquake Martyrs Memorial Program' broadcast live in many provinces and made various visits, is accompanying our esteemed President on his visits to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Pakistan from February 10 to 13."
Rear Admiral Aktürk continued his speech as follows:
"Our Commander of the Naval Forces is on an official visit to Qatar from February 12 to 15. Additionally, the Commander of the French Armed Forces Mediterranean Region and his accompanying delegation visited our Ministry after their meetings at our Naval Forces Headquarters on February 10. In the meeting, discussions were held on Turkey-France relations, the situation in the Mediterranean, and regional security issues. Furthermore, the third Turkey-France Strategic Dialogue Meeting, which was first held in Ankara in 2022 and the second in Paris in 2023, is planned to take place in Ankara on February 20 with the participation of the Director General of International Relations and Strategy of the French Ministry of Armed Forces and his delegation."
Pointing out domestic and national defense industry products, Rear Admiral Aktürk stated, "The inspection and acceptance activities of various quantities of BOYGA Rotary Wing UAVs have been completed by our Land Forces Command, and the third unit of the 76/62 mm National Naval Gun DENİZHAN, developed locally and nationally by Istanbul Shipyard Command and our Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation, has been delivered to Anadolu Shipyard for integration into TCG İZMİR."
GREECE'S REACTION TO METEOR MISSILES
Sources from the Ministry of National Defense stated the following regarding Greece's reaction to France due to Turkey's planned acquisition of Meteor missiles:
"The Meteor missile is a European-made long-range next-generation missile that falls under the category of air-to-air missiles. We plan to incorporate Meteor missiles into our inventory as part of the Eurofighter Typhoon procurement project. As we have always stated, our priority is domestic and national weapons and systems. In this context, we also plan to strengthen our Air Forces with the GÖKHAN air-to-air missile, which is equivalent to the Meteor missile we are developing. Until the GÖKHAN missile enters the inventory, the procurement efforts for the Meteor missile will continue smoothly alongside the Eurofighter aircraft."
REPORTS OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT IN SYRIA TAKING CONTROL IN AFRIN
Ministry sources commented on the reports that the new administration in Syria has taken control in Afrin from the disbanded Syrian National Army (SNA), stating, "It is important for the new administration in Syria to fully establish its sovereignty over the entire country. As Turkey, we continue to support our Syrian brothers in this regard. Our priority is to eliminate terrorist organizations from Syria. There is a mutual understanding between our country and the new administration in Syria on this issue. The presence of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in Syria continues to ensure the security of our borders and to eliminate terrorism throughout Syria, especially in northeastern Syria. All threats and risks that may arise from the new situation in Syria are continuously evaluated. If necessary, there may be changes in the deployment of our forces in Syria. Additionally, our efforts to assign a military attaché to Syria are ongoing. We will soon assign our attaché and send them to Syria," he assessed.
MIÇOTAKIS HAD MET WITH MACRON
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Miçotakis and French President Emmanuel Macron held discussions on Tuesday regarding the sale of Meteor air defense missiles to Turkey.
France's confirmation that it would sell these missiles to Turkey has alarmed Greece, which sees Turkey as its biggest military rival in the Mediterranean. The Greek Defense Minister had stated that France made a "dangerous choice as a Greek ally."
'THE AGREEMENT IS NOT FINALIZED'
Following these statements, the concerns raised by this sale in Athens were addressed during a meeting at the EU summit in Brussels. It was reported that the discussions took place in a "positive atmosphere."
Miçotakis had requested detailed information about the ongoing negotiations between Turkey and the European missile consortium MBDA, mediated by the United Kingdom.
Macron confirmed that discussions with Turkey are ongoing but emphasized that no final agreement has been reached. The French President stated, "It would not be correct to see a deal with Turkey as certain."
WHAT IS A METEOR MISSILE?
The Meteor missile is a state-of-the-art Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile developed primarily in cooperation with many European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Sweden, by MBDA.
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The missile has a unique solid-fueled ramjet engine that provides continuous thrust throughout its flight.
This design contributes to speeds greater than Mach 4 and a wide No Escape Zone that makes it difficult for targets to escape.
The Meteor missile has an operational range exceeding 100 kilometers, but maximum range details are not disclosed to the public.
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