‘Lock on Turkiye’s plane is act against NATO’, Erdogan says

Greek air missile system locked on its fighter jets flying in international airspace over the Aegean Sea is an act against NATO, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during his 30th of August Victory Speech, local media reports.

According to the report, President Erdogan touched upon the tensions with Greece in the Aegean. He stated that “our F-16 aircraft, which are performing NATO missions in the international airspace in the Aegean, have been radar-locked by the Russian-origin S-300 Air Missile Systems deployed on the Greek island of Crete.”

“It is hostile to put a radar lock on a country plane. If this aircraft is performing a NATO mission, this means that this hostility is directly against NATO, with all its members. Greece has actually challenged NATO and the allies, not Turkiye.”

Radar lock-ons are considered an act of hostility under NATO rules of engagement.

Greek Defence Ministry sources dismissed the allegations. “Greece’s S-300 missile system has never put a lock on Turkish F-16 jets,” the sources said, according to state-run Ert television.

READ: Turkey FM warns Greece against further escalation in Eastern Mediterranean