Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/693549
AegiS AShoRe The participants of the ceremony were President of the Republic of Poland, Mr. Andrzej Duda, Polish foreign affairs and defense ministers, Romanian foreign affairs minister, U.S. ambassador in Poland, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense and NATO Deputy Secretary General. The list of the guest confirms the importance of such U.S. military installation in this part of Europe for the region and NATO. What is equally important, in opposition to the claims of Russia, the missile defense system is developed by United States for its allies in Europe, not against the Russia but against unstable countries of the Middle East, including Iran, what Americans confirmed. Aegis Ashore, based around seaborne defense systems is now full-fledged and constantly upgraded solution. The land-based variant of Aegis BMD was tested on location on Hawaii where the first prototype was build in 2014. In following months it was extensively trialed, including shooting down three separate tar- gets simultaneously. The political discussion about placing elements of U.S. missile defense system in Poland were started in early 2000's when George W. Bush and Lech Kaczynski were presidents. In that time it was decided that GBI launcher will be located in Poland as a third base of that system (first one is in Fort Greely, Alaska and second in Vandenberg, California). The third was planned to be located in Redzikowo and could be supported by radar sta- tion in Czech Republic. Those plans were changed when Barack Obama was chosen president of the United States – GBI was replaced with Aegis Ashore. The Aegis Ashore system consist of AN/SPY-1D radar station and vertical launchers of Standard SM-3 Block IB and Standard SM-3 Block IIA short and medium range missiles. At the beginning, the long range missiles were planned to be located in Poland. The development of complex air defense protection system for the European members of NATO was divided into three phases. In first stage, the early warning radar station was build in Turkey and four Arleigh Burke class destroyers with SM-3 missiles were relocated to Rota naval base in Spain. Those vessels are conducting patrol tasks on European waters – in April, the USS Donald Cook was on Baltic Sea. In the second stage, the Aegis Ashore installation was build in Devesel base in Romania. It was officially started on 28th October 2013 and finalized on 18th December 2015. The certification took place on 12th May 2016 and now the Devesel Aegis Ashore is fully operational. Because of the type and oper- ational capabilities, the facility in Romania is under direct orders of the U.S. 6th Fleet, the same will happen with facility in Poland. In the third stage, the base in Poland will be build and after com- pletion, it will become a part of the system with firing control center located in Ramstein, Germany. The most crucial financial decision about Aegis Ashore instal- lation in Poland were made in February 2016 when U.S. DoD awarded contract for AMEC Programs Inc. company for building the base. AMEC outbid three other companies in the tender. The total value of the contract awarded is 182,7 million USD and the finalization date is set on 9th April 2018. It is sure that some of those funds will be received by local subcontractors. The addi- tional funds from U.S. DoD will be granted for the facility equip- ment and first batch of Standard missiles. The core of the Aegis Ashore base will be AN/SPY-1D radar station and Mk.41 vertical launchers (based on the first leaks, three or four launchers so the potential number of missiles will range from 24 to 32). Of course, all necessary office and social building will be there. According to the agreement signed on 11th December 2009, the U.S. facility in Poland must be build according to all the Polish laws and regulations including safety, electromagnetical and environmental standards. The base will be manned by 250 U.S. soldiers and contractors which will be deployed in tours according to the U.S. DoD schedule. Polish MoD, according to the decision of the defense minister signed on 9th December 2014, formed base security battalion which will be responsible for providing security to the Polish military base of Redzikowo. The unit under command of COL Witold Bartoszek will have 250 soldiers and HMMWV vehicles and will also provide logistical support to the American counterparts. www.fragoutmag.com