ANKARA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye's Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that NATO will deploy an Italian SAMP-T missile defense system in the central province of Konya to enhance the country's airspace security.

The Italian air defence system SAMP/T Mamba is seen at Kuchyna Air Base, north of Bratislava, on April 19, 2023. (File photo: AFP)

In a statement, the ministry said the move is being carried out under NATO's standing defense plans and is aimed at strengthening the alliance's air defense.

The Italian-operated system will be stationed at the 3rd Main Jet Base Command in Konya, the statement said.

The SAMP-T, developed jointly by France and Italy, is a mobile surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept a range of threats, including ballistic missiles.

NATO has already strengthened its presence in southeast Türkiye by deploying an additional Patriot missile battery to Incirlik Air Base in Adana province.