Dear Members and Friends,
On a stunning summer day at 1130a.m. this morning in Warsaw, Poland, the Republic of Poland signed an agreement with the United States of America to host 10 U.S. two-stage ground-based missile defense interceptors that will defend and protect NATO and the United States from long range ballistic missiles.
Poland received for compensation a strategic partnership with the United States that includes a permanent presence of US personnel to operate the missile defense site in Poland and a rotational permanent presence of one United States Patriot missile defense battery stationed currently in Germany. The Patriot battery includes five launchers, Patriot missiles and the US military Army soldiers that man the battery for short-range ballistic missile defense protection of NATO. The United States receives a capability to defend its armed forces, the citizens and allies in most of Europe as well adding protection for its population and territory against long-range ballistic missiles from Iran.
The United States with this agreement alongside the European Midcourse Radar agreement signed with the Czech Republic on July 8th will provide NATO and most of Europe and its population protection for the first time against long-range ballistic missiles. The European Missile Defense system will integrate and assist current and future NATO missile defense assets that would include Aegis, Air Defense Command Frigates and Type 45 Destroyers sea based systems, THAAD, MEADS, Patriot ground based systems, Tactical Transport Radars and forward based radars to provide a layered shield of missile defense protection against all ranges of ballistic missiles to Europe and NATO.
The 10 two-stage Ground Based Missiles, the silos and the construction of the missile site is to be located on the Redzikovo Polish military base outside of Slupska and close to the Baltic Sea in northern Poland. The United States Army Corps of Engineers stationed in Europe will begin construction in the next 12-18 months with the first deployed defensive missile to be on alert in 2012, and the remaining defensive missiles to be on full alert by 2015. The two-stage ground based missile is the same missile without the third stage as the current ground-based defensive missiles deployed at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California and Fort Greely, Alaska. The two-stage ground based defensive missiles will complete their testing and verification by the US Department of Defense before the first missile is deployed in 2012.
Public support is strong both in Poland and the United States. 63% of the Polish public in a poll released today by the largest newspaper, Gazeta, in Warsaw are in support of the agreement. 87% of the Polish public believes that the agreement will strengthen Poland’s relationship with the United States. This follows a poll by opinion research in the United States that shows 72% of the United States public support the agreement with the Polish government.
The continual intent by Iran to develop long-range ballistic missiles coupled with their desire to have nuclear weapons as displayed by this past Saturday’s Satellite Launch Vehicle attempt to deliver payloads into orbit provides the will and need by NATO, Poland and the United States to deploy a defensive capability to protect and defend their national security.
MDAA is honored to be here today in Warsaw on this remarkable occasion where history was made and commitment agreed upon to save and protect human life.
