Known as Aegis Ashore and located in the village of Redzikowo, the system housed on the base is capable of intercepting short to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the base’s mission-readiness status enhances transatlantic protection from the increasing threat posed by ballistic missiles as it constitutes a part of a broader ballistic missile defense system spanning from Turkey through Romania to Poland.

“Given the defensive nature of our alliance, addressing this threat is crucial. Missile defense is integral to NATO's core mission of collective defense,” Stoltenberg said, highlighting the use of ballistic missiles in recent conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

“We have a NATO base in Poland that is fully established. It is ready for use and has been integrated into the NATO system. This is a huge step forward for us because it shows that we are on the world map in the NATO and American system, and Poland is today a safe country,” said Poland’s Deputy Minister of National Defense Cezary Tomczyk.

The main components of NATO’s missile defense shield include another Aegis Ashore installation in Romania, U.S. Navy destroyers stationed in Rota, Spain, and an early-warning radar in Kürecik, Turkey.

NATO has underscored that the Aegis Ashore system is solely defensive. Approximately 200 military personnel are deployed at the interceptor sites in Poland and Romania, with the Romanian base in Deveselu having been operational since 2016.