Türkiye moves to control key Syrian air base, plans major defence upgrades

Türkiye has begun efforts to take control of Syria's Tiyas air base, also known as T4, and is preparing to deploy air defense systems at the site.  

Reports suggest that construction work is already underway at the base, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Since December, Türkiye and Syria have been negotiating a defense pact following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad. This agreement would see Türkiye providing air cover and military protection for Syria's new government, which currently lacks a fully functioning military force. While Turkish officials had initially downplayed the possibility of a permanent military presence in Syria, describing such plans as premature, behind-the-scenes negotiations have continued. 

Israel views a Turkish military presence in Syria as a potential threat, but Türkiye aims to stabilize Syria by leveraging its military strength and filling the power vacuum left by the withdrawal of Russia and Iran. Türkiye also intends to intensify its operations against the Islamic State (IS) group, which has continued to operate in parts of Syria. 

This effort is a key factor in the US potentially considering a withdrawal from the region.  Türkiye’s military has already started the process of taking control of the T4 air base, located near Palmyra in central Syria. “A Hisar-type air defense system will be deployed to T4 to provide air cover for the base,” a source familiar with the matter stated. “Once the system is in place, the base will be reconstructed and expanded with the necessary facilities. Ankara also plans to deploy surveillance and armed drones, including those with extended strike capabilities.”

The source added that Türkiye aims to use the T4 air base to establish aerial control over the region and support its efforts to combat IS, which still has cells operating in the Syrian desert. Over time, Türkiye plans to establish a layered air defense system at the base, which would include short-, medium-, and long-range capabilities to protect against various threats, including jets, drones, and missiles. 

Another source indicated that the presence of Turkish air defense systems and drones would likely deter Israel from conducting air strikes in the area. The Turkish Ministry of Defense declined to comment on these developments. Israel has frequently targeted Syrian military installations since the collapse of Assad's government, with recent operations around T4. Last week, Israeli air forces struck the T4 and Palmyra air bases, targeting runways and strategic assets. 

An Israeli security source stated that any Turkish military presence at a Syrian air base would undermine Israel's operational freedom, calling it a “potential threat” that Israel strongly opposes. Tensions between Türkiye and Israel have escalated since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in 2023, which ended a brief period of reconciliation between the two nations. 

The collapse of the Assad government and Türkiye’s rise as a dominant force in Syria have raised alarm in Israel, which now sees Ankara as a potentially greater threat than Iran. “We targeted the T4 military base recently to send a message: we will not allow any threat to our operational freedom in the air,” the Israeli security source added. The first source also revealed that Türkiye is considering temporarily deploying S-400 air defense systems to T4 or Palmyra to secure the airspace during the reconstruction phase. 

However, no final decision has been made, and Russia would need to approve such a move. Meanwhile, Türkiye and the US have been in talks regarding the lifting of sanctions imposed on Türkiye for purchasing the Russian-made S-400 air defense system, which resulted in Türkiye's removal from the US F-35 fighter jet programme in 2019. In a phone call last month, US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan discussed potential ways for Türkiye to rejoin the programme. 

Under US law, Türkiye must relinquish possession of the S-400 system in order to be re-admitted to the F-35 programme. Turkish officials have proposed deactivating the system by disassembling and storing it, or relocating it to a Turkish-controlled base outside of Türkiye. However, Israel strongly opposes any arrangement that would allow Türkiye access to the F-35, arguing that such a move would undermine Israel’s qualitative military advantage in the region.

By Naila Huseynova