15 September 2011
Polish-US ballistic missile defense agreement takes effect
Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland — Poland and the U.S. say their deal that calls for deployment of land-based ballistic missiles by the year 2018 has begun.

The deal is part of a plan by President Barack Obama’s administration to place land and sea-based radars and interceptors in several European locations as a shield against possible missile attack from Iran. It has drawn strong opposition from Russia, which fears it might become a target.

A U.S. Embassy statement said the deal took effect on Thursday.

An undisclosed number of SM-3 interceptors are to be placed in Redzikowo, on the Baltic Sea coast, as a “significant contribution” from the two nations to NATO defense capability, the statement said.

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