Poland foresees U.S. interceptors in place by 2018
Terrestrial Interceptors of U.S. missile shield will be installed in Poland in the period 2015-2018. The missile systems like SM-3 interceptors, which are part of the new variant of the U.S. missile shield will be placed in Poland during 2015-2018, said the Polish Defense Minister Bogdan Klich, quoted by Gazeta Wyborcza. Romania last month officially started negotiations with the United States to host the same type of interceptor missiles. They would all be located in Romania between 2015 and 2018, and it is the second stage of “adaptive approach phase” missile defense system in Europe. According to U.S. and Romanian officials could be about three batteries of eight missiles each of the type SM-3 interceptors.
Poland was considered to host ten interceptor base of the U.S. missile shield designed version of the Bush administration. This ballistic missile threat target, rather, with long-range.The former Bush administration has pledged to modernize the Polish anti-aircraft defense with a battery of patriot missiles, in an agreement to install missile interceptors in that country. But President Barack Obama stopped it in autumn 2009 to plan for engaging in missile interceptors in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic.
Obama’s new administration came up with a new vision of the missile shield, wanting to make it more flexible and less expensive, although the goal system is the same – the defense of an attack most likely would come from Iran. The new system was called the “Adaptive phased approach” and aims in the first phase with short-range missile threats and medium action, following the last phase, the fourth to be completed around 2020.
In these circumstances, Washington has turned to Romania, better positioned geographically to new requirements, which suggested the February 4, 2010 to host elements of the missile shield. Missile shield of the Bush administration’s vision did not offer the full protection of the Romanian territory and other allies in southern Europe.
In parallel with negotiations started with Romania, the U.S. conducted preliminary discussions with other countries, often being the name of Bulgaria, but also Turkey and even Russia.
Even if the U.S. abandoned that project in Poland, the Patriot missile agreements remained valid. Patriot is an air defense system that can counter tactical ballistic missiles, of Crozier and modern aircraft. Top U.S. Patriot missiles and a contingent of U.S. Marines arrived in late May in Poland, being installed at Morag, in the north of the country based on lies about 60-100 kilometers of border with Russia. Same basis was also referred to eventually accommodate the SM-3 missile battery in the new U.S. missile shield.
