US is continuing the installation of its missile shield in Romania and Poland, said Patrick O’Reilly (in picture), the director of Missile Defense Agency (MDA) of the Pentagon, during a conversation about the MDA’s budget request for USD 7.75 billion for 2013 with the American Senate.

Locations to be prepared for the Aegis Ashore system were established and there were agreements signed with the government of Romania and Poland. The interceptors in Romania will be ready at the end of 2015 and in Poland by 2018.

Aegis Ashore “has the longest range of our regional systems, so that adds to the missile defense on land” said O’Reilly. “Thus, with the Aegis Ashore, THAAD, Patriot and other regional systems, we obtain a multilateral effect,” he said.

The Pentagon insists that the missile system from Romania and Poland will be used to counter a medium range missile attack that could potentially come from Iran.

Deveselu, the village in Southern Romania where the anti-missile shield will be placed, remains under Romania’s property and sovereign jurisdiction, according to the agreement signed by Romania and the US in fall last year.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com