WASHINGTON, USA: A new US air defence base in northern Poland, designed to detect and intercept ballistic missile attacks as part of NATO’s broader missile shield, is now operational, the alliance announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at a NATO summit in Washington, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the base’s importance for transatlantic security amid increasing ballistic missile threats.
The Aegis Ashore system, based in Redzikowo, Poland, can intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. This development enhances NATO’s collective defence capabilities, addressing threats highlighted by missile use in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The NATO missile defence shield includes another Aegis Ashore site in Romania, US Navy destroyers in Spain, and an early-warning radar in Turkey. NATO asserts that Aegis Ashore is purely defensive, with approximately 200 military personnel stationed at the interceptor sites in Poland and Romania, the latter operational since 2016.
