Turkey, US finalize combat air patrol agreement

Turkey and the United States have finalized a bilateral agreement to provide a framework for the latter's aircraft to conduct combat air patrol missions in Turkish airspace, amid ongoing tension between Ankara and Moscow over the downing of a Russian warplane last month. 

"We finalized a bilateral agreement Friday [Dec. 11] with Turkey outlining procedures for combat air patrol missions in Turkish airspace. This enduring agreement provides a framework for our aircraft to support air defense missions in Turkey if/when called upon, either with these air frames or others in the future," Lt. Cheryl Collins from EUCOM (United States European Command) Public Affairs said in a written statement to the Hürriyet Daily News on Dec. 16. 

"With the agreement in place, we began this past weekend flying combat air patrol missions," she added. The Daily News learned from diplomatic sources that the bilateral agreement was a military-to-military deal. 

The U.S. deployed F-15s to Turkey's ?ncirlik Airbase after Turkish airspace was violated by Russian warplanes in early October, which pushed the Turkish government to call its NATO allies for military assistance to secure its airspace. 

Upon Turkey's request, six F-15Cs arrived on Nov. 6 and conducted training and operational missions supporting Turkish allies and their sovereign airspace. Six F-15Es followed on Nov. 12 to conduct counter-Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) operations in Syria and Iraq as part of Operation Inherent Resolve.

However, only days after the finalization of the agreement the EUCOM decided to withdraw the F-15s from Turkey. A written statement issued by the EUCOM on Dec. 16 said, "The Air Force F-15 Eagles and Strike Eagles deployed to Incirlik Airbase,...