In Poland, the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System is Being Put Into Operation
In the village of Redzikowo, located in northern Poland, the American anti-missile complex Aegis Ashore will be operational from December 15th. The missile defense system is deployed at a U.S. military base.
This information was provided by the Prime Minister of Poland, Mateusz Morawiecki, as reported by RFM 24.
"The Americans have just informed us that on December 15 the operational capability will be reached by the missile defence shield in Redzikowo," Morawiecki said.
At the same time, according to U.S. Navy Rear Admiral and Acting Director of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Douglas Williams, full operational readiness of this battery is expected in the first half of 2024.
"The Navy will install additional upgrades at Aegis Ashore Poland through May 2024, after which it will transfer to NATO in July 2024 for command and control of Aegis Ashore Poland in the defense of NATO European states against ballistic missile threats originating outside the Euro-Atlantic area," emphasized Williams.
Established in 2015, the missile defense base in Redzikowo is located just 165 kilometers from the border with Russia. Currently, it houses three MK 41 VLS vertical launch systems, equipped with 8 SM-3 IIA missile containers, totaling 24 missiles, as well as SPY-1D (V) radar and fire control system (FCS).
The Aegis Ashore system is capable of intercepting intercontinental ballistic missiles. In its basic configuration, target interception can occur in the range of 900-1200 kilometers, while the effective intercept height reaches 500 kilometers.
It is worth noting that the Redzikowo base will be the second ground-based missile defense facility in Europe, completing the final stage of the implementation of NATO's Adaptive Approach missile defense program, EPPA, aimed at protecting the European continent from short, medium, and intermediate-range missiles.
The first ground-based complex is located at the Deveselu military base in Romania and has been operational since 2016.
Over the years of existence, the threats countered by missile defense systems have transformed. Previously, the focus was on potential isolated missile launches from Iran. Now, the concern is the threat of massed shelling from Russia.
It is worth reminding that according to Western analysts, Russia poses one of the greatest threats to all NATO countries. In the event of a frozen conflict in Ukraine, the Kremlin is highly likely to encroach on the sovereignty of Eastern Alliance members - Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia.