NATO missile defence base in Poland now ready

A new U.S. ballistic missile defence site in Redzikowo, Poland, known as “Aegis Ashore,” is now operational and available for the defence of NATO, according to a press release.

This site is a crucial part of a larger NATO missile shield, designed to detect, track, and intercept ballistic missiles in flight.

“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, quoted in the news release.

“Ballistic missiles have been widely used in 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.

NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence system allows for the detection of missile attacks and uses 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 key component of NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence “Enhanced Operational Capability,” which was declared by Allied Heads of State and Government at the Washington Summit.

The mission of NATO Ballistic Missile Defence is to protect NATO’s European populations, territory, and forces against the increasing threat posed by ballistic missiles. Key elements of NATO’s missile shield include the two U.S. Aegis Ashore sites in Poland and Romania, U.S. Navy destroyers based out of Rota, Spain, and an early-warning radar in Kurecik, Türkiye.

According to the press release, Aegis Ashore is purely defensive, and about 200 military personnel are stationed at the two interceptor sites in Poland and Romania. The site in Deveselu, Romania, has been operational since 2016.