US activates land-based missile defence station in Romania

United States has activated a land-based missile defence station (Aegis Ashore Missile Defence System) in Deveselu, Romania.
The missile defence station is part of NATO’s larger European shield to protect member countries from short and medium-range missiles, particularly from the Middle East.
Key facts

• The Deveselu missile defence station has a battery of SM-2 missile interceptors.
• It uses powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets.
• It also allows on-shore sites and warships to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles while they are still in space.
• The interceptor missiles are fired to hit ballistic missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere, stopping them well before there is any danger of causing any damage.
• US has spent 800 million dollars on the site in Romania, where work had began in 2013.

Comment
The missile defence station was activated as part of the Article Five commitment by all 28 NATO members. Under this commitment NATO members have decided in 2010 to create a missile shield based on US technology. The next phase of the project will be launched in Poland at Redzikowo, near the Baltic Sea and is due to be completed in 2020.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2016