5 New Messages
Digest #4684
Messages
Sat Apr 20, 2013 6:47 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.marforeu
Marine Corps Forces Europe
U.S. European Command
USAG Stuttgart, Germany
April 19, 2013
BSRF-13, Latvian land forces kick-off training
By Lance Cpl. Michael Dye
====
“Calling for fire is when a unit is downrange and they need support from air, artillery or mortars to seize or eliminate a target or objective,” said Lance Cpl. Justin Conlen, a Barre, Mass. native, operations clerk with BSRF-13. “We are going to achieve this by employing several scenarios which require the military forces to effectively communicate with the command to call-in for additional support.”
====
CAMP ADAZI, Latvia: Ninety-four U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 marked the beginning of Exercise Summer Shield 10, a two-week military engagement with the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian Soldiers, during an opening ceremony at Camp Adazi, Latvia, April 15, 2013.
The three military forces will be working with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force BSRF-13 during Summer Shield to enhance interoperability.
The units gathered on the parade deck aboard Camp Adazi and held a massive formation...
Summer Shield 10 focuses on integration of fires and maneuver in a joint environment to build partner nation capacity while enhancing our interoperability.
“BSRF-13 is here to strengthen and further our bond with the Latvian land forces,” said Capt. Scott Helminski, BSRF-13’s weapons company commander, and Rockford, Ill. native.
Critical to the exercise will be a training package focused on call for fire techniques.
“Calling for fire is when a unit is downrange and they need support from air, artillery or mortars to seize or eliminate a target or objective,” said Lance Cpl. Justin Conlen, a Barre, Mass. native, operations clerk with BSRF-13. “We are going to achieve this by employing several scenarios which require the military forces to effectively communicate with the command to call-in for additional support.”
Following Summer Shield, the Marines and sailors with BSRF-13 will re-deploy to Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania where they will continue to serve as a crisis response force of more than 250 Marines conducting a 6-month theater security cooperation deployment with 21 partner nations. The self-contained Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force provides EUCOM the ability to quickly respond to a regional crisis within the unit’s capabilities while building military capacity, providing regional stability, and developing lasting partnerships.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Marine Corps Forces Europe
U.S. European Command
USAG Stuttgart, Germany
April 19, 2013
BSRF-13, Latvian land forces kick-off training
By Lance Cpl. Michael Dye
====
“Calling for fire is when a unit is downrange and they need support from air, artillery or mortars to seize or eliminate a target or objective,” said Lance Cpl. Justin Conlen, a Barre, Mass. native, operations clerk with BSRF-13. “We are going to achieve this by employing several scenarios which require the military forces to effectively communicate with the command to call-in for additional support.”
====
CAMP ADAZI, Latvia: Ninety-four U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 marked the beginning of Exercise Summer Shield 10, a two-week military engagement with the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian Soldiers, during an opening ceremony at Camp Adazi, Latvia, April 15, 2013.
The three military forces will be working with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force BSRF-13 during Summer Shield to enhance interoperability.
The units gathered on the parade deck aboard Camp Adazi and held a massive formation...
Summer Shield 10 focuses on integration of fires and maneuver in a joint environment to build partner nation capacity while enhancing our interoperability.
“BSRF-13 is here to strengthen and further our bond with the Latvian land forces,” said Capt. Scott Helminski, BSRF-13’s weapons company commander, and Rockford, Ill. native.
Critical to the exercise will be a training package focused on call for fire techniques.
“Calling for fire is when a unit is downrange and they need support from air, artillery or mortars to seize or eliminate a target or objective,” said Lance Cpl. Justin Conlen, a Barre, Mass. native, operations clerk with BSRF-13. “We are going to achieve this by employing several scenarios which require the military forces to effectively communicate with the command to call-in for additional support.”
Following Summer Shield, the Marines and sailors with BSRF-13 will re-deploy to Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania where they will continue to serve as a crisis response force of more than 250 Marines conducting a 6-month theater security cooperation deployment with 21 partner nations. The self-contained Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force provides EUCOM the ability to quickly respond to a regional crisis within the unit’s capabilities while building military capacity, providing regional stability, and developing lasting partnerships.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Sat Apr 20, 2013 6:47 am (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.act.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Transformation
April 19, 2013
SACT pointed out Poland's strong commitment to Connected Forces Initiative
As the lead nation and the main contributor to the next live NATO exercise 'Steadfast Jazz' that will take place mostly on Polish soil in the fall of 2013 with 19 nations and 3,500 participants on one hand, and with the continuous support given to the JFTC in Bydgoszcz on the other, Poland is one of the most engaged nations in the implementation of the Connected Forces initiative – a priority for the SACT.
SACT, French Air Force General Jean-Paul Paloméros had this impression re-confirmed during his official visit to Poland and the following visit to the NATO-centre.
After a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Tomasz Siemonak in Warsaw, General Paloméros highlighted the necessity for NATO to emphasize joint, multinational exercises that would "allow to maintain the proper dynamics of development of joint interoperable forces in the years to come when the operational tempo will likely decrease"
During other meetings in the capital with the Chief of Defence staff, Major General Mieczlaw Cienuch and other Polish military representatives, views on other key NATO topics like Smart Defence, partnerships and NATO-EU cooperation were shared.
Wednesday 17 April, general Paloméros visited JFTC for the first time. He was shown around by the centre's Commander, Czech Army Major General Pavel Macko and had a chance to talk to several of the staff.
After his visit, Palomers declared: "JFTC is one of our poles of excellence for training – it has a key role in support of ISAF [the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan] by high value training at the tactical level (training of the trainers) both for the NATO and partner forces. And it will continue to provide training support for the post 2014 era"
...
During discussions at the centre, General Palomeros agreed on the continued importance of JFTC in conducting pre-deployment training for current operations and at the same time training for the NATO command and force structures and the NATO Response Force (NRF).
Upon conclusion of his visits, SACT expressed full satisfaction for the productive talks and said that he was looking forward to continue the fruitful cooperation between Poland and ACT.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Allied Command Transformation
April 19, 2013
SACT pointed out Poland's strong commitment to Connected Forces Initiative
As the lead nation and the main contributor to the next live NATO exercise 'Steadfast Jazz' that will take place mostly on Polish soil in the fall of 2013 with 19 nations and 3,500 participants on one hand, and with the continuous support given to the JFTC in Bydgoszcz on the other, Poland is one of the most engaged nations in the implementation of the Connected Forces initiative – a priority for the SACT.
SACT, French Air Force General Jean-Paul Paloméros had this impression re-confirmed during his official visit to Poland and the following visit to the NATO-centre.
After a meeting with the Minister of Defence, Tomasz Siemonak in Warsaw, General Paloméros highlighted the necessity for NATO to emphasize joint, multinational exercises that would "allow to maintain the proper dynamics of development of joint interoperable forces in the years to come when the operational tempo will likely decrease"
During other meetings in the capital with the Chief of Defence staff, Major General Mieczlaw Cienuch and other Polish military representatives, views on other key NATO topics like Smart Defence, partnerships and NATO-EU cooperation were shared.
Wednesday 17 April, general Paloméros visited JFTC for the first time. He was shown around by the centre's Commander, Czech Army Major General Pavel Macko and had a chance to talk to several of the staff.
After his visit, Palomers declared: "JFTC is one of our poles of excellence for training – it has a key role in support of ISAF [the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan] by high value training at the tactical level (training of the trainers) both for the NATO and partner forces. And it will continue to provide training support for the post 2014 era"
...
During discussions at the centre, General Palomeros agreed on the continued importance of JFTC in conducting pre-deployment training for current operations and at the same time training for the NATO command and force structures and the NATO Response Force (NRF).
Upon conclusion of his visits, SACT expressed full satisfaction for the productive talks and said that he was looking forward to continue the fruitful cooperation between Poland and ACT.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:05 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.defense.
U.S. Department of Defense
April 19, 2013
NATO Secretary General Details Asia Trip, Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
====
“This was the first-ever trip by a NATO secretary general to the Republic of Korea,” he said. “I met with President Park [Geun-hye], ministers and members of parliament. I also visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone...”
The secretary general also noted another first during his visit to Japan.
“I signed the first NATO-Japan joint political declaration with Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe, a declaration which will chart the future course of our partnership.”
Although they all are separated by geography, Rasmussen noted, Japan and South Korea are important partners for NATO.
====
WASHINGTON: NATO’s partnerships with Japan and South Korea are key to facing security challenges and ensuring stability in the region, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said today in Brussels.
In a news conference at NATO headquarters, Rasmussen discussed his recent trip to Asia and the agenda at the alliance’s upcoming foreign ministers meeting.
“This was the first-ever trip by a NATO secretary general to the Republic of Korea,” he said. “I met with President Park [Geun-hye], ministers and members of parliament. I also visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone, where I was briefed on the current state of affairs by the United Nations Command.”
The secretary general also noted another first during his visit to Japan.
“I signed the first NATO-Japan joint political declaration with Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe, a declaration which will chart the future course of our partnership,” he said. “I also met members of the government and parliament.”
Although they all are separated by geography, Rasmussen noted, Japan and South Korea are important partners for NATO.
...“We share the need to face common security challenges that go well beyond borders...”
With the growing tensions surrounding the statements and actions of North Korea, the NATO secretary general said it is “understandably” a major concern for Japan and South Korea.
“I recalled NATO’s strong condemnation of North Korea’s missile launches and nuclear tests...," he said...
[T]he alliance seeks to engage with the Asia-Pacific region and already is doing valuable work with its partners in the region, noting efforts by South Korea and Japan alongside the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
“In Afghanistan, hundreds of troops from the Republic of Korea serve alongside their partners in ISAF in the east of the country,” Rasmussen noted. “Japan has given great support to the Afghan forces..."
“And we are also working together to counter the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden,” he continued. “I thanked the leaders of both countries for all they are doing.”
Rasmussen said all three looked at what more they can do in the future in the areas of counterterrorism, counterpiracy, nonproliferation, disaster relief and cyber defense. “All these are challenges which reach across borders, and we can deal with them much more effectively if we do it together,” he added.
The secretary general also talked about the foreign ministers meeting set to take place April 23 at NATO headquarters, where representatives from 22 non-NATO countries will join the alliance’s top diplomats to discuss contributions to ISAF.
...
The NATO secretary general said he expects a full agenda at the foreign ministers meeting.
...
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
U.S. Department of Defense
April 19, 2013
NATO Secretary General Details Asia Trip, Foreign Ministers’ Meeting
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
====
“This was the first-ever trip by a NATO secretary general to the Republic of Korea,” he said. “I met with President Park [Geun-hye], ministers and members of parliament. I also visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone...”
The secretary general also noted another first during his visit to Japan.
“I signed the first NATO-Japan joint political declaration with Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe, a declaration which will chart the future course of our partnership.”
Although they all are separated by geography, Rasmussen noted, Japan and South Korea are important partners for NATO.
====
WASHINGTON: NATO’s partnerships with Japan and South Korea are key to facing security challenges and ensuring stability in the region, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said today in Brussels.
In a news conference at NATO headquarters, Rasmussen discussed his recent trip to Asia and the agenda at the alliance’s upcoming foreign ministers meeting.
“This was the first-ever trip by a NATO secretary general to the Republic of Korea,” he said. “I met with President Park [Geun-hye], ministers and members of parliament. I also visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone, where I was briefed on the current state of affairs by the United Nations Command.”
The secretary general also noted another first during his visit to Japan.
“I signed the first NATO-Japan joint political declaration with Prime Minister [Shinzo] Abe, a declaration which will chart the future course of our partnership,” he said. “I also met members of the government and parliament.”
Although they all are separated by geography, Rasmussen noted, Japan and South Korea are important partners for NATO.
...“We share the need to face common security challenges that go well beyond borders...”
With the growing tensions surrounding the statements and actions of North Korea, the NATO secretary general said it is “understandably” a major concern for Japan and South Korea.
“I recalled NATO’s strong condemnation of North Korea’s missile launches and nuclear tests...," he said...
[T]he alliance seeks to engage with the Asia-Pacific region and already is doing valuable work with its partners in the region, noting efforts by South Korea and Japan alongside the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
“In Afghanistan, hundreds of troops from the Republic of Korea serve alongside their partners in ISAF in the east of the country,” Rasmussen noted. “Japan has given great support to the Afghan forces..."
“And we are also working together to counter the threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden,” he continued. “I thanked the leaders of both countries for all they are doing.”
Rasmussen said all three looked at what more they can do in the future in the areas of counterterrorism, counterpiracy, nonproliferation, disaster relief and cyber defense. “All these are challenges which reach across borders, and we can deal with them much more effectively if we do it together,” he added.
The secretary general also talked about the foreign ministers meeting set to take place April 23 at NATO headquarters, where representatives from 22 non-NATO countries will join the alliance’s top diplomats to discuss contributions to ISAF.
...
The NATO secretary general said he expects a full agenda at the foreign ministers meeting.
...
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:05 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.syracuse
The Post-Standard
April 19, 2013
Pentagon, NATO allies witness missile defense test in skies over Central New York
By Mark Weiner
====
MEADS and Lockheed Martin officials said they could not release photos or videos of the test because of the classified nature, nor could they disclose the names of the NATO officials who witnessed the demonstration.
[T]he test in Central New York was among the last big milestones before a full missile intercept test for MEADS planned this fall at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
In March, Congress approved spending $380 million to pay for the final year of MEADS development.
====
Washington:Military leaders from the Pentagon, Italy and Germany were in Central New York this week to witness a classified test of a missile defense system.
As part of the test, a small plane and a simulated tactical ballistic missile were detected and tracked by the Medium Extended Air Defense System, or MEADS, its developers said today.
MEADS, developed in part by Lockheed Martin with partners in Italy and Germany, was tested using radars placed at Lockheed'
Marty Coyne, business development director for MEADS International, said the test conducted Wednesday was a success by all measures.
MEADS and Lockheed Martin officials said they could not release photos or videos of the test because of the classified nature, nor could they disclose the names of the NATO officials who witnessed the demonstration.
"We had visitors from all three nations," Coyne said today. "By all accounts, all of the parties came out quite impressed with both the capability and maturity of those radar assets."
The MEADS 360-degree surveillance radar, developed at Lockheed'
The radar in Cazenovia simultaneously tracked and relayed the location of the simulated missile and test aircraft that took off from Syracuse'
In turn, the system cued a fire-control radar located more than 10 miles away in Salina to acquire and track the target aircraft, Coyne said. In the battlefield, an interceptor missile would have been fired to destroy the target.
Coyne said the test in Central New York was among the last big milestones before a full missile intercept test for MEADS planned this fall at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
In March, Congress approved spending $380 million to pay for the final year of MEADS development.
The Pentagon says it has no intention to deploy MEADS, originally designed as a successor to the Patriot missile defense system, because of cost overruns and early development problems. The United States, Germany and Italy have spent a combined $4 billion on the program.
...
Pentagon officials have said they intend to "harvest" promising technologies developed as part of the MEADS project, including the 360-degree surveillance radar developed by Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians in Central New York.
Coyne said the purpose of Wednesday'
The MEADS project is the largest radar contract in the history of the Lockheed Martin facility at Electronics Park in Salina, which has about 1,900 employees. Lockheed is the major partner in the United States for MEADS International, a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, Fla.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
The Post-Standard
April 19, 2013
Pentagon, NATO allies witness missile defense test in skies over Central New York
By Mark Weiner
====
MEADS and Lockheed Martin officials said they could not release photos or videos of the test because of the classified nature, nor could they disclose the names of the NATO officials who witnessed the demonstration.
[T]he test in Central New York was among the last big milestones before a full missile intercept test for MEADS planned this fall at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
In March, Congress approved spending $380 million to pay for the final year of MEADS development.
====
Washington:Military leaders from the Pentagon, Italy and Germany were in Central New York this week to witness a classified test of a missile defense system.
As part of the test, a small plane and a simulated tactical ballistic missile were detected and tracked by the Medium Extended Air Defense System, or MEADS, its developers said today.
MEADS, developed in part by Lockheed Martin with partners in Italy and Germany, was tested using radars placed at Lockheed'
Marty Coyne, business development director for MEADS International, said the test conducted Wednesday was a success by all measures.
MEADS and Lockheed Martin officials said they could not release photos or videos of the test because of the classified nature, nor could they disclose the names of the NATO officials who witnessed the demonstration.
"We had visitors from all three nations," Coyne said today. "By all accounts, all of the parties came out quite impressed with both the capability and maturity of those radar assets."
The MEADS 360-degree surveillance radar, developed at Lockheed'
The radar in Cazenovia simultaneously tracked and relayed the location of the simulated missile and test aircraft that took off from Syracuse'
In turn, the system cued a fire-control radar located more than 10 miles away in Salina to acquire and track the target aircraft, Coyne said. In the battlefield, an interceptor missile would have been fired to destroy the target.
Coyne said the test in Central New York was among the last big milestones before a full missile intercept test for MEADS planned this fall at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
In March, Congress approved spending $380 million to pay for the final year of MEADS development.
The Pentagon says it has no intention to deploy MEADS, originally designed as a successor to the Patriot missile defense system, because of cost overruns and early development problems. The United States, Germany and Italy have spent a combined $4 billion on the program.
...
Pentagon officials have said they intend to "harvest" promising technologies developed as part of the MEADS project, including the 360-degree surveillance radar developed by Lockheed Martin engineers and technicians in Central New York.
Coyne said the purpose of Wednesday'
The MEADS project is the largest radar contract in the history of the Lockheed Martin facility at Electronics Park in Salina, which has about 1,900 employees. Lockheed is the major partner in the United States for MEADS International, a multinational joint venture headquartered in Orlando, Fla.
============
Stop NATO e-mail list home page with archives and search engine:
http://groups.
Stop NATO website and articles:
http://rickrozoff.
To subscribe for individual e-mails or the daily digest, unsubscribe, and otherwise change subscription status:
stopnato-subscribe@
============
Sat Apr 20, 2013 1:05 pm (PDT) . Posted by:
"Rick Rozoff" rwrozoff
http://www.eucom.
United States European Command
April 19, 2013
Implementation of the European Phased Adaptive Approach
====
EPAA [European Phased Adaptive Approach] Phase One gained its first operational elements in 2011 with the start of a sustained deployment of an Aegis BMD-capable multi-role ship to the Mediterranean and the deployment of an AN/TPY-2 radar in Turkey. With the declaration of Interim Operational Capability at the NATO Summit in Chicago, this radar transitioned to NATO operational control.
Spain agreed in 2011 to host four U.S. Aegis-capable ships at the existing naval facility at Rota.
[T]he SM-3 IIB interceptor will no longer be developed or procured. The United States will instead...procur[
As Secretary Hagel announced, we will increase the number of deployed GBIs from the current 30 to 44, providing a nearly 50 percent increase in our capability.
[O]n May 20-21 of 2012, the NATO Heads of State and Government met in Chicago for a NATO Summit and announced that NATO had achieved an interim BMD capability. This means that the Alliance has an operationally meaningful, standing peacetime BMD capability.
President Bush chose Warsaw as the site of his May 2003 public call to create a common global effort to stop WMD- and missile-related shipments to and from states of proliferation concern. Poland and the United States then worked closely to heed that call by establishing the Proliferation Security Initiative. Over the following decade, 100 other nations from every part of the world joined our two countries in the PSI...
====
Frank A. Rose. Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance
At the State Department, I am responsible for overseeing a wide range of defense policy issues, including missile defense policy. In that capacity, it was my responsibility and privilege to negotiate the details of the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) agreements with Poland, Romania, and Turkey that will enable the United States to implement the European Phased Adaptive Approach (or EPAA), the U.S. contribution to NATO missile defense. Poland is a strong ally and valued friend of the United States. Our bilateral defense ties run deep and are growing - our new Aviation Detachment and Poland's agreement to host an EPAA missile defense site are but two recent examples of our partnership.
Implementation of the European Phased Adaptive Approach
Since 2009, the United States Government has focused on carrying out the vision articulated by President Obama when he announced that the EPAA would “provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America'
As you know, we have made great progress in implementing the President’s vision in Europe.
EPAA Phase One gained its first operational elements in 2011 with the start of a sustained deployment of an Aegis BMD-capable multi-role ship to the Mediterranean and the deployment of an AN/TPY-2 radar in Turkey. With the declaration of Interim Operational Capability at the NATO Summit in Chicago, this radar transitioned to NATO operational control.
Demonstrating their support for both NATO and the EPAA, Spain agreed in 2011 to host four U.S. Aegis-capable ships at the existing naval facility at Rota. These ships will arrive in the 2014-2015 timeframe, in time for EPAA Phase Two.
For Phase Two of the EPAA, we have an agreement with Romania that was ratified in December of 2011 to host a U.S. land-based SM-3 interceptor site beginning in the 2015 timeframe. This site, combined with BMD-capable ships in the Mediterranean, will enhance coverage of NATO from short- and medium-range ballistic missiles launched from the Middle East [sic].
And finally there is Phase 3, which is centered on the first of the three host nations to ratify their hosting agreement – Poland. The Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Poland entered into force in September of 2011. This agreement places a land-based interceptor site, similar to Phase 2, in Redzikowo, and includes the SM-3 Block IIA interceptor. This EPAA Phase 3 site is on schedule and on budget for deployment in the 2018 timeframe. The interceptor site here in Poland will be key to the EPAA. Not only will it protect Poland itself, but when combined with the rest of the EPAA assets, Phase 3 will be able to protect all of NATO Europe against ballistic missile threats from the Middle East.
On March 15, Secretary Hagel announced changes to U.S. missile defense policy to strengthen U.S. homeland missile defenses due to the growing ballistic missile threat from Iran and North Korea. One of these policy changes is that the SM-3 IIB missile defense interceptor program - the core element of EPAA Phase 4 - is being restructured into a technology development program.
With the SM-3 IIB interceptor, Phase 4 would have provided an intercept capability against ICBMs launched at the U.S. homeland from the Middle East. But the SM-3 IIB program also experienced significant delays, in part due to the U.S. Congress underfunding this interceptor. So as you know, the SM-3 IIB interceptor will no longer be developed or procured. The United States will instead strengthen its homeland defense by procuring additional Ground Based Interceptors – GBIs- for deployment at our existing missile defense site in Fort Greely, Alaska.
As Secretary Hagel announced, we will increase the number of deployed GBIs from the current 30 to 44, providing a nearly 50 percent increase in our capability.
The other two steps that Secretary Hagel announced include:
Deploying, with the support of the Japanese Government, an additional AN/TPY-2 radar in Japan...and conducting studies for a potential additional GBI site in the United States. While the Obama Administration has not made any decision on whether to proceed with an additional site, conducting these studies would shorten the timeline for construction should that decision be made.
Finally, let me emphasize that the U.S. commitment to Phases One through Three of the EPAA and NATO missile defense remains ironclad, including the planned sites in Poland and Romania. Like the Administration, the U.S. Congress has supported, and continues to support full funding for Phases 1 through 3.
These U.S. missile defense deployments to Europe will provide the necessary capabilities to provide ballistic missile defense coverage of all NATO European territory in the 2018 timeframe.
[T]he radar deployed in Turkey as part of EPAA can provide important early tracking data on any Iranian missile launches against the United States [!]. The interceptor site to be deployed in Poland, as well as BMD-capable ships at sea, will also be key to protecting the U.S. radar at Fylingdales, which is important to the defense of the U.S. homeland.
Cooperation With NATO Allies
Beyond our bilateral cooperation, we have also worked with our NATO Allies, including Poland, to implement a NATO missile defense effort.
After thorough and steady progress within NATO, on May 20-21 of 2012, the NATO Heads of State and Government met in Chicago for a NATO Summit and announced that NATO had achieved an interim BMD capability. This means that the Alliance has an operationally meaningful, standing peacetime BMD capability. NATO also agreed on the BMD-related command and control procedures, designated the Supreme Allied Commander Europe as the commander for this mission, and announced an interoperable command and control capability.
To support this interim BMD capability, the United States has offered EPAA assets to the Alliance as our voluntary national contributions to the BMD mission. The AN/TPY-2 radar deployed in Turkey is under NATO operational control. In addition, U.S. BMD-capable Aegis ships in Europe are also now able to operate under NATO operational control when threat conditions warrant.
These decisions have created a framework for allies to contribute and optimize their own BMD assets for our collective self-defense, and the United States welcomes and encourages such contributions from Allies. NATO BMD will be more effective should Allies provide sensors and interceptors to complement the U.S. EPAA contributions. Several NATO Allies already possess land- and sea-based sensors that could potentially be linked into the system, as well as lower tier systems that can be integrated and used to provide point defense such as PATRIOT. It is important that the systems contributed by Allies be interoperable with NATO’s Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense – or ALTBMD – command and control capability.
Cooperation With the Russian Federation..
While we seek to develop ways to cooperate with Russia on missile defense, it is important to remember that in keeping with its collective security obligations, NATO alone bears responsibility for defending the Alliance from ballistic missile threats. This is why the United States and NATO cannot agree to Russia’s proposals for “sectoral” or “joint” missile defense architectures.
Cooperation With Poland
We can’t talk about BMD cooperation without talking about our cooperation right here with the Republic of Poland.
We also now have an enduring Aviation Detachment deployed in Lask, which supports the joint training of U.S. and Polish Air Forces. And I also have to mention our vibrant and longstanding cooperation with Poland on other efforts to combat the threat of WMD and their missile delivery systems. For example, former President Bush chose Warsaw as the site of his May 2003 public call to create a common global effort to stop WMD- and missile-related shipments to and from states of proliferation concern. Poland and the United States then worked closely to heed that call by establishing the Proliferation Security Initiative. Over the following decade, 100 other nations from every part of the world joined our two countries in the PSI to improve our common efforts to take action against WMD shipments. Next month, Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller will have the great pleasure of leading the U.S. delegation to the PSI Tenth Anniversary meeting in Warsaw not only to
mark the occasion, but to continue efforts to meet the call that President Obama made in the 2009 Prague speech to ensure the PSI is a durable international effort.
I commend my Polish colleagues for their leadership within NATO and domestically on defense modernization which will lead to new and valuable skill sets for NATO. As everyone knows, Poland is leading by example. Where many NATO countries are reducing their defense modernization, Poland is focusing on it – and the “it” that I follow most closely is the Polish efforts to upgrade its Integrated Air and Missile Defense System. This has been a topic of considerable discussion with my Polish counterparts. I expect it will be a topic of continued discussion. It is clear to me that the Government of Poland intends to embark upon a substantial effort that will provide for a greater national expertise which can contribute to NATO air and missile defense capabilities.
And Poland is not only working on defense modernization – it is also a participant in the U.S. Strategic Command’s NIMBLE TITAN multinational missile defense wargame. Polish military, Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials are working closely with over 20 countries and NATO to collaboratively think through how regional and global coalitions might be able to innovate with equipment, tactics, techniques and procedures to provide the best and most agile defense...
United States European Command
April 19, 2013
Implementation of the European Phased Adaptive Approach
====
EPAA [European Phased Adaptive Approach] Phase One gained its first operational elements in 2011 with the start of a sustained deployment of an Aegis BMD-capable multi-role ship to the Mediterranean and the deployment of an AN/TPY-2 radar in Turkey. With the declaration of Interim Operational Capability at the NATO Summit in Chicago, this radar transitioned to NATO operational control.
Spain agreed in 2011 to host four U.S. Aegis-capable ships at the existing naval facility at Rota.
[T]he SM-3 IIB interceptor will no longer be developed or procured. The United States will instead...procur[
As Secretary Hagel announced, we will increase the number of deployed GBIs from the current 30 to 44, providing a nearly 50 percent increase in our capability.
[O]n May 20-21 of 2012, the NATO Heads of State and Government met in Chicago for a NATO Summit and announced that NATO had achieved an interim BMD capability. This means that the Alliance has an operationally meaningful, standing peacetime BMD capability.
President Bush chose Warsaw as the site of his May 2003 public call to create a common global effort to stop WMD- and missile-related shipments to and from states of proliferation concern. Poland and the United States then worked closely to heed that call by establishing the Proliferation Security Initiative. Over the following decade, 100 other nations from every part of the world joined our two countries in the PSI...
====
Frank A. Rose. Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance
At the State Department, I am responsible for overseeing a wide range of defense policy issues, including missile defense policy. In that capacity, it was my responsibility and privilege to negotiate the details of the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) agreements with Poland, Romania, and Turkey that will enable the United States to implement the European Phased Adaptive Approach (or EPAA), the U.S. contribution to NATO missile defense. Poland is a strong ally and valued friend of the United States. Our bilateral defense ties run deep and are growing - our new Aviation Detachment and Poland's agreement to host an EPAA missile defense site are but two recent examples of our partnership.
Implementation of the European Phased Adaptive Approach
Since 2009, the United States Government has focused on carrying out the vision articulated by President Obama when he announced that the EPAA would “provide stronger, smarter, and swifter defenses of American forces and America'
As you know, we have made great progress in implementing the President’s vision in Europe.
EPAA Phase One gained its first operational elements in 2011 with the start of a sustained deployment of an Aegis BMD-capable multi-role ship to the Mediterranean and the deployment of an AN/TPY-2 radar in Turkey. With the declaration of Interim Operational Capability at the NATO Summit in Chicago, this radar transitioned to NATO operational control.
Demonstrating their support for both NATO and the EPAA, Spain agreed in 2011 to host four U.S. Aegis-capable ships at the existing naval facility at Rota. These ships will arrive in the 2014-2015 timeframe, in time for EPAA Phase Two.
For Phase Two of the EPAA, we have an agreement with Romania that was ratified in December of 2011 to host a U.S. land-based SM-3 interceptor site beginning in the 2015 timeframe. This site, combined with BMD-capable ships in the Mediterranean, will enhance coverage of NATO from short- and medium-range ballistic missiles launched from the Middle East [sic].
And finally there is Phase 3, which is centered on the first of the three host nations to ratify their hosting agreement – Poland. The Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement between the U.S. and Poland entered into force in September of 2011. This agreement places a land-based interceptor site, similar to Phase 2, in Redzikowo, and includes the SM-3 Block IIA interceptor. This EPAA Phase 3 site is on schedule and on budget for deployment in the 2018 timeframe. The interceptor site here in Poland will be key to the EPAA. Not only will it protect Poland itself, but when combined with the rest of the EPAA assets, Phase 3 will be able to protect all of NATO Europe against ballistic missile threats from the Middle East.
On March 15, Secretary Hagel announced changes to U.S. missile defense policy to strengthen U.S. homeland missile defenses due to the growing ballistic missile threat from Iran and North Korea. One of these policy changes is that the SM-3 IIB missile defense interceptor program - the core element of EPAA Phase 4 - is being restructured into a technology development program.
With the SM-3 IIB interceptor, Phase 4 would have provided an intercept capability against ICBMs launched at the U.S. homeland from the Middle East. But the SM-3 IIB program also experienced significant delays, in part due to the U.S. Congress underfunding this interceptor. So as you know, the SM-3 IIB interceptor will no longer be developed or procured. The United States will instead strengthen its homeland defense by procuring additional Ground Based Interceptors – GBIs- for deployment at our existing missile defense site in Fort Greely, Alaska.
As Secretary Hagel announced, we will increase the number of deployed GBIs from the current 30 to 44, providing a nearly 50 percent increase in our capability.
The other two steps that Secretary Hagel announced include:
Deploying, with the support of the Japanese Government, an additional AN/TPY-2 radar in Japan...and conducting studies for a potential additional GBI site in the United States. While the Obama Administration has not made any decision on whether to proceed with an additional site, conducting these studies would shorten the timeline for construction should that decision be made.
Finally, let me emphasize that the U.S. commitment to Phases One through Three of the EPAA and NATO missile defense remains ironclad, including the planned sites in Poland and Romania. Like the Administration, the U.S. Congress has supported, and continues to support full funding for Phases 1 through 3.
These U.S. missile defense deployments to Europe will provide the necessary capabilities to provide ballistic missile defense coverage of all NATO European territory in the 2018 timeframe.
[T]he radar deployed in Turkey as part of EPAA can provide important early tracking data on any Iranian missile launches against the United States [!]. The interceptor site to be deployed in Poland, as well as BMD-capable ships at sea, will also be key to protecting the U.S. radar at Fylingdales, which is important to the defense of the U.S. homeland.
Cooperation With NATO Allies
Beyond our bilateral cooperation, we have also worked with our NATO Allies, including Poland, to implement a NATO missile defense effort.
After thorough and steady progress within NATO, on May 20-21 of 2012, the NATO Heads of State and Government met in Chicago for a NATO Summit and announced that NATO had achieved an interim BMD capability. This means that the Alliance has an operationally meaningful, standing peacetime BMD capability. NATO also agreed on the BMD-related command and control procedures, designated the Supreme Allied Commander Europe as the commander for this mission, and announced an interoperable command and control capability.
To support this interim BMD capability, the United States has offered EPAA assets to the Alliance as our voluntary national contributions to the BMD mission. The AN/TPY-2 radar deployed in Turkey is under NATO operational control. In addition, U.S. BMD-capable Aegis ships in Europe are also now able to operate under NATO operational control when threat conditions warrant.
These decisions have created a framework for allies to contribute and optimize their own BMD assets for our collective self-defense, and the United States welcomes and encourages such contributions from Allies. NATO BMD will be more effective should Allies provide sensors and interceptors to complement the U.S. EPAA contributions. Several NATO Allies already possess land- and sea-based sensors that could potentially be linked into the system, as well as lower tier systems that can be integrated and used to provide point defense such as PATRIOT. It is important that the systems contributed by Allies be interoperable with NATO’s Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense – or ALTBMD – command and control capability.
Cooperation With the Russian Federation..
While we seek to develop ways to cooperate with Russia on missile defense, it is important to remember that in keeping with its collective security obligations, NATO alone bears responsibility for defending the Alliance from ballistic missile threats. This is why the United States and NATO cannot agree to Russia’s proposals for “sectoral” or “joint” missile defense architectures.
Cooperation With Poland
We can’t talk about BMD cooperation without talking about our cooperation right here with the Republic of Poland.
We also now have an enduring Aviation Detachment deployed in Lask, which supports the joint training of U.S. and Polish Air Forces. And I also have to mention our vibrant and longstanding cooperation with Poland on other efforts to combat the threat of WMD and their missile delivery systems. For example, former President Bush chose Warsaw as the site of his May 2003 public call to create a common global effort to stop WMD- and missile-related shipments to and from states of proliferation concern. Poland and the United States then worked closely to heed that call by establishing the Proliferation Security Initiative. Over the following decade, 100 other nations from every part of the world joined our two countries in the PSI to improve our common efforts to take action against WMD shipments. Next month, Acting Under Secretary Gottemoeller will have the great pleasure of leading the U.S. delegation to the PSI Tenth Anniversary meeting in Warsaw not only to
mark the occasion, but to continue efforts to meet the call that President Obama made in the 2009 Prague speech to ensure the PSI is a durable international effort.
I commend my Polish colleagues for their leadership within NATO and domestically on defense modernization which will lead to new and valuable skill sets for NATO. As everyone knows, Poland is leading by example. Where many NATO countries are reducing their defense modernization, Poland is focusing on it – and the “it” that I follow most closely is the Polish efforts to upgrade its Integrated Air and Missile Defense System. This has been a topic of considerable discussion with my Polish counterparts. I expect it will be a topic of continued discussion. It is clear to me that the Government of Poland intends to embark upon a substantial effort that will provide for a greater national expertise which can contribute to NATO air and missile defense capabilities.
And Poland is not only working on defense modernization – it is also a participant in the U.S. Strategic Command’s NIMBLE TITAN multinational missile defense wargame. Polish military, Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials are working closely with over 20 countries and NATO to collaboratively think through how regional and global coalitions might be able to innovate with equipment, tactics, techniques and procedures to provide the best and most agile defense...
