US missile defense system in Europe: “anti-Iranian shield” is aimed at Russia
The U.S. missile defense system in Europe is represented by four American ULE destroyers of the Arleigh Burke type, deployed at the Rota’s Spanish naval base, equipped with a modified Aegis system and Standard SM-3 Block IA missile defense systems, deployed in Turkey with the AN / TPY-2 US radar and two bases ABM Aegis Ashore, deployed in Poland and Romania. The choice of precisely these countries for the deployment of missile defense ground bases is due to the fact that both Poland and Romania are located in important strategic directions, and it is easy to control the Russian northwest and Black Sea region from their territory, respectively.
ABM ground systems in Romania and Poland
The U.S. Aegis Ashore missile defense system, designed for 24 Mk41 launchers for Standard SM-3 Block IB interceptor missiles, was deployed at Devecelu's military base in Romania, where it took up combat duty in May 2016. The complex is based on a shipborne integrated system modified for solving missile defense weapons Aegis. In fact, it is a land-based similarity to the superstructure of the Ticonderoga URO cruiser with the Aegis system and Launch Modular Enclosure (Mk41) universal vertical launchers in the land-based stationary version.
Three years later, in the spring of 2019, the complex was closed for modernization, during which the United States deployed a high-altitude atmospheric intercept missile system (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, THAAD) in Romania. In August of the same year, the Aegis Ashore complex was put on alert after the modernization, the details of which were not disclosed. However, earlier some military experts expressed the view that the modernization of the complex was carried out taking into account the US exit from the INF Treaty. At the same time, the US said that "the missile defense system has not received any offensive capabilities." Most likely, the SM-3 Block IB missiles were replaced with a new version of the SM-3 Block IIA.
The basic elements of the missile defense system in Devessela are modular, fully assembled and tested in the United States, and then transported to Romania in containers, where they are quickly mounted. The software of the ground-based system for the purpose of saving is almost completely identical to the ship versions, except for the removal of the control functions that are not necessary for the coastal system. The calculation of the facility consists of three shifts of 11 people each, carrying round-the-clock combat duty. Objects are guarded by units of the US Army, as well as by Romanian military personnel stationed at a military base.
A similar complex with 24 Mk41 launchers is being built on Polish territory in Redzikovo, 150 km from Gdansk. Putting the complex into operation and putting on combat duty is planned for 2020, most likely closer to its end. An agreement between Poland and the USA on the deployment of an American missile defense system in the country was signed in 2008 and entered into force in 2011. It was originally planned to equip the base with long-range missiles controlled by radar in the Czech Republic. Then the plans were revised, and Poland will receive only medium-range missiles SM-3. Initially, the launch of the missile defense base was planned for 2018, but was later postponed to 2020 due to "lack of resources and labor." Initially, Standard SM-3 Block IB anti-missiles should be deployed in Redzikovo, but in 2019 it was decided to deploy SM-3 Block IIA missiles on the basis of more advanced missiles. The rest of the complex is almost completely similar to the Romanian one, except that it will be housed in a more massive reinforced concrete building.
Goal - Russia
With the commissioning of the missile defense system in Redzikovo, the second phase of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPA), announced by Barack Obama on September 17, 2009, will be completed - the deployment of the ground component of the US and NATO missile defense systems in Europe. The United States initially stated that the system was being deployed to defend against “Iranian missiles,” but from the very beginning it was clear that the main goal was Russia. Such a ... strange "anti-Iranian shield."
Aegis systems Mk41 universal launchers installed on both bases can launch not only SM-3 missiles, but also Tomahawk cruise missiles. Although the United States deny the ability of these installations to launch cruise missiles, it was from this installation in August last year that the Americans conducted test launches of medium and short range missiles.
Today, the United States argues that there are no cruise missiles aimed at Russia either in Romania or in Poland, but we can’t verify it in any way, and these “gentlemen” are not worth the word. No one will guarantee that under the guise of a missile defense the same cruise missiles will not be delivered to objects, since even the launcher does not need to be changed to launch them.
Of course, we cannot prevent the construction of US missile defense facilities in Romania and Poland, but it wouldn’t hurt us to target our own missile systems. And, probably, they are already aimed, it is not for nothing that Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that since shock complexes could be placed in missile defense installations, Russia will take retaliatory actions to neutralize them.
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