Czech Republic to Get U.S. Missile Defense Support

The recent U.S.-Czech radar deal calls for the United States to provide missile defense support for its European ally, the Washington Post reported today (see GSN, July 8).

The top foreign officials from Prague and Washington last week signed an agreement allowing installation of a U.S. early warning radar in the Czech Republic.  The system would assist 10 missile interceptors the Bush administration wants to deploy in Poland to counter threats from nations such as Iran.

The agreement states that the United States “is committed to the security of the Czech Republic and to protect and defend, by means of its ballistic missile defense system, the Czech Republic against a potential ballistic missile attack.”

The defense would come through Mediterranean Sea-based U.S. Navy ships that are equipped with the Aegis system, officials from the State and Defense departments told the Post.  The radar in the Czech Republic would be connected to an Aegis system.

The Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense System, intended for deployment in Europe, would also provide the Czechs with protection from Middle Eastern missile threats, a Defense Department spokesman said. Further, a planned NATO missile shield would be connected to the Czech radar (see GSN, June 16).

The agreement requires Washington to assist Prague in dealing with potential threats that might develop in relation to the radar base and for the two nations to conduct joint missile shield research and development (Walter Pincus, Washington Post, July 16).

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