Antimissile System To Be Deployed In Romania Unlike Any Other In The World

05.11.2011 ZF English

Romania will be the first country in the world where the land-based SM-3 (Standard Missile 3) interceptor missile system will be deployed, the agency coordinating US missile defense says.

"There are no land-based SM-3 interceptors like those to be deployed in Deveselu at this time, but a test facility is being constructed in Hawaii," said Richard Lehner, spokesman of the US' Missile Defense Agency.

This system is different from those USA uses to defend against a potential ballistic missile attack.

On the other hand, by the time Europe's anti-missile system has been finalized in 2020, interceptors in Romania will not have a capability against intercontinental ballistic missiles; interceptors with a capability against such missiles will be deployed in Poland only.

"The first interceptors to be deployed in Romania will be Block 1B by 2015, followed by upgrade to Block 2A in 2018; there will not be any Block 2B interceptors deployed here, they will be deployed in Poland by 2020," Lehner added.