Pentagon: Aegis System in Europe Needed to Deter Attacks From Middle East

© Flickr / US Army Corps of Engineers Europe DistrictThe US Army Corps of Engineers Europe District is managing the construction of a $134 million Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Complex in Deveselu, Romania
The US  Army Corps of Engineers Europe District is managing the construction of a $134 million Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Complex in Deveselu, Romania - Sputnik International
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The United States’ Aegis Ashore system is not directed against Russia but is designed to protect against potential attacks from the Middle East, Pentagon spokesman Patrick Evans told RIA Novosti.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Russia has repeatedly expressed its concern about the creation of a US-designed ballistic missile defense system in Europe, approved at the 2010 NATO summit in Lisbon. Poland and Romania joined Spain and Turkey in agreeing to deploy elements of the system on their territories.

The US anti-missile station Aegis Ashore Romania is pictured at the military base in Deveselu, Romania - Sputnik International
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"European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) is not directed against Russia and is not capable of undermining Russia’s strategic nuclear deterrent. Interceptors are designed to be launched from AEGIS Ashore sites to defend NATO in the case of a missile attack from the Middle East," Evans said on Friday.

The United States’ Aegis Ashore system is expected to become operational in Poland in 2018. It is planned to form part of the European missile shield and be armed with land-based Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptors.

In recent years, the United States has taken significant steps to deploy ballistic missile defense systems throughout Europe under the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA). The Aegis Ashore facility in Poland marks the third phase of the EPAA.

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