Deveselu Military Base
Deveselu Military Base | |
---|---|
Baza Militară Deveselu | |
Deveselu Near Caracal in Romania | |
Coordinates | 44°04′43.2″N 24°24′48.3″E / 44.078667°N 24.413417°E |
Type | Ballistic Missile Defense System site |
Area | 900 hectares (2,200 acres; 3.5 sq mi) |
Site information | |
Controlled by | Joint Logistics Command United States Navy |
Site history | |
Built | 1952 |
In use | 1952–2003; 2012–present |
Garrison information | |
Current commander | Colonel Marius Chiriță |
Past commanders | Colonel Veronel Vavură (2012–2015)[1] Comandor Răzvan Brătulescu (2015–2022)[1] |
Occupants | Naval Support Facility Deveselu Aegis Ashore Defense System Romania |
The 99th Military Base Deveselu (Baza Militară 99 Deveselu), or the Deveselu Military Base, is a Romanian NATO base hosting the United States Navy Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense System. The base consists of three military units: The Romanian 99th Military Base, which hosts two American bases: the Naval Support Facility Deveselu and the Aegis Ashore Defense System Romania. Located in Deveselu commune, Olt County, the base has an area of 900 ha (2,200 acres); of those, 170 ha (420 acres) are used by the U.S. forces.[2]
The Deveselu base is operated by about 500 Romanian soldiers, 250 U.S. troops, and other personnel.[3] The base is subordinated to the Romanian Joint Logistics Command.[4] The current base commander is Colonel Marius Chiriță.[5]
History
The construction of the military
By the 1980s, the air base had become the most important one in Romania, housing four squadrons and 100 pilots. During the 1990s, it was the only air base in the country from where night missions were conducted.[6] The base was disbanded in 2003 and approximately 200 personnel were retired.[8]
2010–present
In February 2010, the Supreme Council of National Defence decided for Romania to participate in the development of the American anti-missile defense component, at the invitation of President Barack Obama. A year later, in September 2011, the former aviation base was selected to host SM-3 interceptor missiles.[5][6] Construction started in October 2013, with a ceremony attended by President Traian Băsescu and Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James N. Miller.[6]
On 1 May 2012, Baza Militară 99 was established.
In 2019, the system underwent an upgrade program. During the modernization works, the
On 29 April 2022, the
The $800 million facility was originally intended to intercept incoming missiles from Iran, but has been deemed a "direct threat" by Russian officials. The Aegis Ashore missile defense system at Deveselu (and another one under construction in Redzikowo, Poland), has been brought up by Russian President Vladimir Putin as an example of NATO’s increasing influence in Eastern Europe.[15]
Capabilities
Like the ship-based variant, the Aegis Ashore uses the
In the wake of the
According to Russian sources, the Aegis Ashore base at Deveselu could be hit with Kinzhal hypersonic air-to-surface missiles, which would be able to "sweep away" the Aegis batteries with conventional warheads even before they could be put on alert.[18] On the other hand, military experts such as Pavel Felgenhauer or James M. Acton do not consider that these hypersonic missiles offer a strategic advantage, or pose a significantly higher threat than conventional missiles.[19]
Plans to further upgrade the Deveselu system were announced in 2023. Investments will be made starting in 2024 and aimed at upgrading the detection sensors and facilities as well as replacing the missiles with newer ones, increasing the capability of intercepting more types of weapons.[20]
Nuclear weapons claims
It was reported in 2016 that over 20 American
See also
- 57th Air Base "Mihail Kogălniceanu"
- NATO missile defence system
- Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System
- United States missile defense complex in Poland
- List of United States military bases
- Vin americanii!
References
- ^ a b "Ceremonia de schimbare a comenzii și înmânare a Drapelului de luptă Bazei Militare Deveselu". Statul Major General (in Romanian). 3 December 2015.
- ^ Cristina Dobreanu (21 November 2019). ""Fortăreața" de la Deveselu, sub lupa ambasadorilor statelor NATO acreditați la București". Radio Free Europe (in Romanian).
- ^ a b Alison Mutler (25 November 2019). "NATO Shows Off Missile Base In Romania, Calling It 'Purely Defensive'". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
- ^ Bușe, Gigi (21 June 2023). "Liceenii militari în tabere de instruire". universulolteniei.ro (in Romanian).
- ^ a b c Alina Crișan. "Mai puternici împreună". presamil.ro.
- ^ a b c d Mitran, Alina (1 January 2016). "Secretele proiectului militar de la Deveselu. Cum a ajuns baza aeriană construită cu ajutor sovietic un obiectiv strategic al NATO". Adevărul (in Romanian).
- ^ "Anul 1962". www.roaf.ro (in Romanian).
- ^ "Cum s-a infiltrat CIA pe străzile comunei românești unde AMERICANII instalează SCUTUL ANTIRACHETĂ". Gândul. 7 May 2011. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014.
- ^ LaGrone, Sam (12 May 2016). "Aegis Ashore Site in Romania Declared Operational". news.usni.org. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- ^ "Aegis Ashore Romania: Supporting European Missile Defense for 5 Years and Counting". www.eucom.mil. United States European Command. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ a b Rigge, David M. (18 October 2022). "U.S. Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System Romania Change of Command". www.navy.mil. United States Navy. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ Cristescu, Emma (19 October 2022). "Un nou comandant la scutul de la Deveselu. "Pentru ultima dată: o echipă, o luptă". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian). Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "NATO a finalizat actualizarea tehnică a sistemului de apărare antibalistică AEGIS de la Deveselu". Radio Free Europe (in Romanian). 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Împlinirea a 10 de la înființarea Bazei Militare 99 Deveselu, marcată printr-o ceremonie și decorarea Drapelului de luptă al unității". Agerpres (in Romanian). 29 April 2022.
- ^ Bouscaren, Durrie (23 March 2022). "In southern Romania, villagers are uneasy about a NATO missile defense system in its backyard". The World. Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ "Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defence System Goes Online in Romania". Finabel. 4 March 2020.
- ^ Șerbănescu, Andrei (3 March 2022). "Ce este scutul antirachetă de la Deveselu și ce pericole poate intercepta. Este România protejată în fața unui atac nuclear?". Ziarul Financiar (in Romanian). Retrieved 25 October 2022.
- ^ Satam, Parth (26 August 2022). "Dead Meat! Kinzhal Hypersonic Missile That Hit Ukraine's 492 Feet Deep Warehouse Can Also Destroy US 'Aegis' Air Defense – Russia". The EurAsian Times. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ Bolocan, Valentin (21 March 2022). "Scutul de la Deveselu versus rachetele rușilor. Experții militari explică dacă trebuie să ne temem de bombele hipersonice folosite de Putin în Ucraina". Adevărul (in Romanian). Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ "SUA anunță că scutul de la Deveselu va fi întărit. Va deveni mult mai puternic și mai capabil să depisteze rachetele inamicilor". Digi24 (in Romanian). 18 July 2023.
- ^ Georgi Gotev; Joel Schalit (18 August 2016). "US moves nuclear weapons from Turkey to Romania". Euractiv. Archived from the original on 2 February 2024.
- ^ Marian Chiriac (18 August 2016). "Romania Denies Accepting US Nuclear Weapons". Balkan Insight.