In the presence of high-ranking representatives of NATO, the U.S. military opened in Romania a ground base air defense, designed to intercept ballistic missiles, according to Reuters.
The facility is located in the South of the country on the old base of the Romanian air force, Deveselu. On duty 24 delivered the SM-3 missile, the Aegis radar and tracking equipment. The operational management is carried out by the base of the U.S. Navy, writes the official organ of the Pentagon newspaper Stars & Stripes.
Before the opening of the base, defense Ministry spokesman to NATO, Robert bell stated that it is intended to protect the position of the Alliance in Europe. “The Iranians are increasing their capabilities, and we should be ahead”, — he said. Bell stressed that the deployed missile defense system “is not directed against Russia,” Reuters reports.
The Agency with reference to sources in Washington said that Russia offered to conclude the contract, limit the power and stand-off missiles, but according to Bella, “no government will not do it”.
On Friday, may 13, will be officially announced the beginning of construction of a missile defense base in the village of redzikowo in Northern Poland. As noted by “Radio Poland”, preliminary work has been conducted to this date, and at a gala event on Friday it is expected the Deputy Minister of defence of the USA Robert Wark.
The Polish base will also be posted radar and launcher for the SM-3 interceptor missiles. To service the unit, which will come into operation in 2018, will be up to 300 servicemen and civilians, according to the website of the radio station.
The missile defense system includes a radar that detect the launch of ballistic missiles. They determine the trajectory of its flight, then the missile is destroyed a missile in space before its return to earth’s atmosphere. Start missiles can be carried out from ships and ground installations.
Elements of the us missile defense deployed in Europe, reminds Reuters. The radar installed in Turkey and on ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Also the system includes four us Navy destroyers armed with guided missiles and is hosted in Spain, says Stars & Stripes. Command-the node system is located at Ramstein air base in Germany.
In Moscow argue that the deployment of us missile defense in Eastern Europe will break existing balance of forces in the region. The President of Russia Vladimir Putin pointed out that this system is not part of defensive and offensive military capabilities.
Last spring, the Russian Ambassador in Denmark Mikhail Vanin has warned in an interview with Jyllands-Posten, the Danish ships will be the target for a nuclear strike, if Copenhagen agrees to install anti-missile radars. According to Russia’s Ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushko, quoted by Reuters, the missile defense sites “can pose a threat to the stability and strategic assets of the Russian Federation”.
According to experts interviewed by Stars & Stripes, Russia in response to the opening of the base in Romania could increase its military presence in the region, and to withdraw from the Treaty on the elimination of intermediate-range and shorter-range, which prohibits the creation and deployment of ballistic and cruise land-based missiles with a range of from 500 to 5 thousand. US President Barack Obama earlier accused Moscow of violating the Treaty.
A new threat, according to experts, the proliferation of cruise missiles. As an example, Stars & Stripes leads strikes on terrorist positions in Syria from the Russian ships from the Mediterranean and Caspian seas, as well as the location of China such missiles along its coast and in the disputed waters of the South China sea.
