Poland is set to open a new NATO missile defense base in Redzikowo, according to an announcement from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.
Protect NATO Members
The base, located near the town of Puck in northern Poland, will be part of the larger U.S.-led Aegis Ashore missile defense system.
It aims to protect NATO members by intercepting short- and medium-range ballistic missiles launched from regions such as Iran and Russia.
Sikorski explained that Poland negotiated with Washington to ensure that the base could defend against more than just Iranian threats.
"We agreed with the United States that the system would also intercept Russian missiles headed toward Poland, not just those targeting the U.S.," Sikorski said in a statement to the Polish news agency PAP.pl according to Ziare.
Two Bases in Europe
The Redzikowo site, which lies about 18 miles (30 kilometers) from Warsaw, will be one of only two bases of its kind in Europe, alongside another located in Deveselu, Romania.
The Polish installation will be integrated into NATO's missile defense network, which includes additional systems like early-warning radars in Turkey and U.S. Navy destroyers stationed in Spain.
The Aegis Ashore system in Redzikowo is designed to detect, track, and destroy ballistic missiles using satellite coordination and fixed or ship-mounted radars.
Experts, including Ewelina Kaczmarek from the Krakow-based think tank War and Politics (WiP), emphasize that while the system can intercept ballistic threats, it does not have the capability to stop cruise missiles. Still, the system is considered one of the best for early warning and air defense.
NATO has highlighted that the Aegis Ashore system is purely defensive. Around 200 military personnel will be stationed at each of the missile defense sites in Poland and Romania.
While the Romanian base has been operational since 2016, Poland's facility is expected to start operations soon, enhancing NATO's defense posture in Eastern Europe during a time of heightened tension.
