US is building a ballistic missile system that could hit Russia

11:11 24/6/2021 - Πηγή: Armynow

In the Polish village of Redzikowo, final work has begun on the assembly and installation of the US missile defense system Aegis Ashore, the Russian Vzglyad reports. The Americans began installing the equipment without waiting for the completion of the construction of the base itself. Aegis poses a serious threat to Russia – this system can be used to launch not

only anti-missile defense missiles but also cruise missiles capable of reaching the Urals.

At the US military base in the Polish village of Redzikowo in the north of the country, the deployment of components of the American anti-missile system Aegis Ashore began until all construction work was completed on it. As reported by TASS concerning the US Missile Defense Agency (ABM), four SPY-1D (V) radar stations and a fire control system were previously deployed there. The ABM Agency calls what is happening as a demonstration of the United States’ determination to “deploy Aegis Ashore systems in Poland, thereby providing anti-missile defense to Europe.”

The United States withdrew from the treaty with Russia on missile defense back in 2002, explaining this step by the need to develop a global missile defense system to protect against Iran and North Korea, then elements of the American missile defense appeared in the Asia-Pacific region, Poland and Romania.

The cost of the Polish base, which was laid down in 2016, will cost the Pentagon $ 182 million, roughly double the planned cost. At first, the Americans wanted to complete the facility in 2018, but the deadline was postponed by two years due to difficulties with the contractor, Wood Environment & Infrastructure Solutions. It acquired Amek Foster Wheeler in 2017, which originally signed a contract with the US Army to build the base’s infrastructure. The contractor, according to the US military, regularly had “planning problems” and did not have enough hands.

In addition, the Poles themselves often complained about him. So, in 2019, the subcontractor Mostostal Warsaw refused to provide services due to the lack of timely funding. A year earlier, the Polish Mostostal Zabrze, for the same reasons, started a lawsuit with the Americans, who in response accused the company of non-compliance with the contract.

The Pentagon now expects the base to be operational in fiscal 2022, which begins October 1. The military department asked the US Congress for the further creation and deployment of various elements of the missile defense system for the 2022 financial year, $ 20.4 billion, including 43.2 million for the modernization of the base in Romania and the completion of construction in Poland.

The head of the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency, Vice Admiral of the Navy John Hill, on Tuesday named another reason for the delay in the introduction of the American missile defense system. In his opinion, construction is behind schedule due to the introduction of automated systems. He said that the US “has implemented a lot of automation in construction, and this is difficult.” There were also “lags” due to COVID-19, because “the restrictions in Europe are very tough,” reports TASS. Hill clarified that on the base “radar antenna arrays were installed” and a fire control system, “the system was fully tested.” “Some issues of obsolescence” of its elements are being resolved, since“ it has been in containers for several years” in storage. Hill is completely satisfied with the progress of the work but did not specify when it will be completed.

The Russian Foreign Ministry calls the deployment of American anti-missile systems in Eastern Europe a direct threat to Russia and a violation by Washington of its obligations. According to Russian experts, from the vertical launchers MK41 included in Aegis Ashore, it is possible to launch not only anti-missiles but also Tomahawk cruise missiles. Thus, the defensive weapon becomes offensive. In October 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed abandoning the deployment of US missile defense elements in Poland and Romania, but Washington did not meet halfway.

The base in Redzikovo is already the second location of the American interceptor missiles as part of the implementation of a phased plan for the creation of a European missile defense system. The first such base was built by the United States in the Romanian town of Deveselu, putting interceptor missiles on operational duty in May 2016. Aegis Ashore complexes use Standard Missile 3 anti-missiles, which are also equipped with several US Navy warships.

Experts warn that the appearance of military facilities in Poland poses a danger to Russia and will require adequate measures. Former deputy commander of the Air Defense Forces of the Ground Forces for armaments, Alexander Luzan connects the decision of the Americans not to wait for the completion of the infrastructure with a cold snap in Russian-American relations.

Aegis is not just a missile defense system. It is universal – it has a launcher capable of firing both standard anti-missiles and cruise missiles. To change missiles, you just need to restart the program, which takes about two hours – and Aegis will be ready to launch cruise missiles with a range of more than two thousand kilometers. Count this distance from Poland – and we will go beyond the Urals. Therefore, Moscow strongly opposed the deployment of these weapons in Eastern Europe, ”warned Luzan.

As the retired lieutenant general explained, to balance the balance of power in the region, Russia has deployed Iskander complexes in the Kaliningrad region. If necessary, they will have to destroy NATO missile defense launchers in Poland. “The missile of the Iskander complex is invulnerable to American interception during the flight. It changes all four components of flight: roll, pitch, yaw, and speed. And no one abroad has yet such missiles,” the source said. He believes that if necessary, Iskander will certainly be able to carry tactical nuclear weapons, “and the West, of course, is afraid of this.”

In turn, the former Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force for the united air defense system of the CIS member states Aytech Bizhev agrees with Luzan that the main threat of the American complexes in Poland is in the time of arrival, therefore, in the event of an aggravation of the situation, Russia will have to “deliver high-precision strikes on the territory Poland and Romania to disable the missile defense system.”

Source: bulgarianmilitary.com

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