The head of the Polish National Security Bureau, Jacek Siewiera, has announced that the US-operated anti-missile base in Redzikowo, located in Poland, will officially open on November 13.
Speaking to Polsat News TV station, Siewiera said, “It feels appropriate to mention this around Polish Independence Day. Today, the President is traveling directly from national celebrations to Azerbaijan, but when he returns, he will land in Gdańsk and then head straight to Redzikowo for the opening ceremony of the Aegis anti-missile base. This event will take place on Wednesday.”
Polish President Andrzej Duda will be accompanied by high-ranking officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, as well as representatives from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Siewiera emphasized the base’s importance, explaining, “Although this is a US Navy facility, it has the unique feature of being integrated under NATO command, specifically EUCOM, which oversees American forces in Europe. As a US base, it’s part of transatlantic defense efforts, designed to intercept high-altitude ballistic and cruise missiles from well beyond the Euro-Atlantic region.”
During the NATO summit in Washington last July, the operational status of the Redzikowo base was confirmed. The base is a key part of the US European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), which contributes to NATO’s air and missile defense system. At the same summit, then-NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that Redzikowo was ready to begin its mission as part of NATO’s missile defense shield.