A new U.S. ballistic missile defence site in northeastern Poland is now operational and available for the defence of the Alliance. 

According to NATO’s announcement, dubbed “Aegis Ashore”, the site is part of a larger NATO missile shield and is designed to detect, track and intercept ballistic missiles in flight.  

The land-based facility consists of equipment commonly used by the US Navy such as SPY-1 radars and Standard Missile-3s (SM-3).

NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence allows for the detection of a missile attack and uses radar data to guide an interceptor to destroy the adversary’s offensive ballistic missile. 

The missile defence site in Poland can defend against short-to-intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Aegis Ashore is a key component of NATO’s Ballistic Missile Defence “Enhanced Operational Capability” declared by Allied Heads of State and Government at the Washington Summit.

Key elements of NATO’s missile shield include the two U.S. Aegis Ashore sites in Poland and Romania along with U.S. Navy destroyers out of Rota, Spain, and an early-warning radar in Kurecik, Türkiye. 

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.

The new base will expand a defensive capability that protects NATO European territories, populations and forces.

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