A ceremonial opening of the missile base, which is part of NATO’s missile defense system and is part of the US European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) program, took place in Redzikowo on November 13.[1] The Redzikowo base is the first permanent installation of the United States Armed Forces in Poland.
The opening ceremony of the missile base was attended by President Andrzej Duda, Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski, as well as US officials and the NATO Secretary General.[2]
As Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said, the US base in Redzikowo is a monument to the Polish-American and Polish-Polish alliance. In the U.S. governments changed, in Poland governments changed, and the base in Redzikowo was built. Russia is again invading its neighbor, so this Polish unity – against political divisions – is all the more important. Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski thus stressed the importance of national unity and the durability of the NATO alliance.[3]
Construction of the missile base was initiated in 2008 by then US President George W. Bush. However, actual work did not begin until eight years later, and after numerous delays, the base reached operational readiness in December 2023 and was handed over to the US Navy.[4] The total cost of building the Redzikowo missile base was about $900 million. The SM-3 Block IIA interceptor missiles, with a unit cost of as much as $38 million, are worth a second.[5]
By design, the Redzikowo base is intended to protect the US and its European allies from ballistic missile attacks, mainly from Iran. The base has installed the Aegis Ashore system, which is a land-based version of the Aegis anti-missile system, used on ships and designed for defense against ballistic missiles.[6] Aegis Ashore consists of the AN/SPY-1 radar, Mk 41 VLS launcher and SM-3 (Standard Missile-3) anti-ballistic missiles. SM-3 missiles are designed to shoot down ballistic missiles in the middle of their flight, i.e. outside the Earth’s atmosphere.[7] The Redzikowo base is the second land-based component of the Aegis Ashore system in Europe, with the first installation of this type operating in Romania since 2016.[8]
In addition to the Aegis Ashore system, the base is equipped with an AN/SPY-1D(V) long-range radar station and 24 RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 Block IIA interceptor missiles. These missiles can combat enemy missiles in the peak and terminal phases of flight using hit-to-kill technology, which destroys the target through a direct hit using kinetic energy.[9]
With this advanced technology, the base is an important element in NATO’s missile defense system and strengthens the region’s security.
Tekst powstał w ramach realizacji zadania publicznego zleconego w ramach Rządowego Programu Rozwoju Organizacji Obywatelskich na lata 2018–2030 r. „Bezpieczna Polska jutra – rozwój działań misyjnych Alioth Foundation”.
Bibliography
[1] B. Bodalska, Euractiv.pl „Dziś oficjalne otwarcie amerykańskiej bazy antyrakietowej w Redzikowie” [online].
[2] Tvn24.pl „Wielkie otwarcie bazy w Redzikowie. „Celem jest wolność, bezpieczeństwo i stabilność całej Europy” [online].
[3] Rzeczpospolita.pl „Radosław Sikorski: Baza USA w Redzikowie to pomnik sojuszu polsko-amerykańskiego i polsko-polskiego” [online].
[4] Tvn24.pl „Wielkie otwarcie bazy w Redzikowie. „Celem jest wolność, bezpieczeństwo i stabilność całej Europy” [online].
[5] J. Sabak, Portalobronny.se.pl „Rusza baza antybalistyczna w Redzikowie. Jakie spełnia zadanie w systemie Aegis?” [online].
[6] B. Bodalska, Euractiv.pl „Dziś oficjalne otwarcie amerykańskiej bazy antyrakietowej w Redzikowie” [online].
[7] Portalmorski.pl „W środę oficjalne otwarcie bazy tarczy antyrakietowej w Redzikowie” [online].
[8] Radioszczecin.pl „Czym jest baza antyrakietowa w Redzikowie?” [online].
[9] E. Korsak, Ł. Zalesiński, Polska-zbrojna.pl „NATO bezpieczniejsze dzięki bazie w Polsce” [online].
