A new US ballistic missile defence site designed to detect, track, and intercept ballistic missiles during flight is now operational in Redzikowo, Poland. Known as “Aegis Ashore” the site is part of a larger NATO missile shield available for the defence of the Alliance.
NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence system can detect missile attacks and use radar data to guide an interceptor to destroy offensive ballistic missiles. The missile defence site in Poland is capable of defending against short-to-intermediate range ballistic missiles.
Aegis Ashore is a critical component of NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence “Enhanced Operational Capability” as declared by Allied Heads of State and Government at the recent Washington Summit.
A purely defensive system, the NATO Ballistic Missile Defence’s mission is to safeguard NATO’s European populations, territory, and forces against the increasing threat posed by ballistic missiles.
Key components of NATO’s missile shield include the two US Aegis Ashore sites in Poland and Romania, US navy destroyers out of Rota, Spain, and an early-warning radar in Kurecik, Turkey.
Approximately 200 military personnel are stationed at the two interceptor sites in Poland and Romania. The site in Deveselu, Romania, has been operational since 2016.
“This is an important step for transatlantic security and NATO’s ability to defend against the growing threat of ballistic missiles,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. “Ballistic missiles have been widely used conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. As a defensive Alliance we cannot ignore that threat. Missile defence is an essential element for NATO’s core task of collective defence”, Mr Stoltenberg added.
