Pentagon confirms its intention to deploy anti-ballistic missile system in Poland
The US has not renounced its intention to deploy an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) defense system in the Polish Redzikowo locality, announced Gary Pennett, director of operations for the US Defense Ministry’s Missile Defense Agency, as reported by TASS on Wednesday, May 24.
The American military is planning to deploy an Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense System (Aegis BMD) in Poland. As Pennett told reporters in the briefing dedicated to the US Missile Defense Agency’s draft budget, the transfer of systems to the site is running on schedule “with the goal of delivery in 2018”.
The Pentagon plans to allocate $90 million to completing the construction of the facility in Redzikowo.
Overall, the US intends to spend $1.7 billion on deployment of Aegis systems in 2018. A portion of these funds will be directed towards the purchase of 34 SM-3 IB missile interceptors, in order to bring their number to 287 units, as well as to acquire six SM-3 IIA missiles (according to public sources these are intended for the improved strike capabilities of intercontinental ballistic missiles), the representative of the US Missile Defense Agency clarified.
One base with a US Aegis Ashore system has already been established in Romania. The American ABM system in the Deveselu commune has been operational since May 12, 2016.
On May 2, 2017, the Pentagon said that the THAAD missile system deployed in South Korea is ready for interception.
In the context of the Atlantic Resolve operation to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank, the first group of military personnel from the US Armored Brigade arrived in Poland in January 2017. All in all, the Pentagon has plans to transfer 3,500 military personnel, more than 400 tracked vehicles and roughly 900 wheeled vehicles, including 87 tanks, self-propelled howitzers and 400 cars to Poland.