DEVESELU, Romania - Commander, Headquarters Allied Air Command, General Frank Gorenc, led a delegation to Romania to visit the AEGIS Ashore Missile Defense System (AAMDS) on Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016.

The Romanian site is the first of two such systems to be provided as part of the United States European Phased Adaptive Approach, initiated in 2009, to defend against current and future missile threats to bases and cities in Europe. As part of the continuing progress for NATO's Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme to reach Initial Operation Capability, AAMDS represents a significant advance in persistent engagement capability.

Declared as a technical capability during a ceremony attended by the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Mr. Patrick Auroy, the Romanian-based AEGIS Ashore system is designed to protect Europe and Allied Nations from the growing world-wide ballistic missile threat. Another AEGIS Ashore system is planned for activation in Poland in 2018. 

Headquarters AIRCOM at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is responsible for ensuring the command and control network of the BMD systems for the Alliance.  The headquarters continues to enhance and expand its infrastructure and systems to meet the upcoming BMD initial operational capability benchmark for NATO. Missile defence protection coverage for NATO territory in Europe has been significantly increased and Allies are working hard to develop the system in the lead-up to the Warsaw Summit.

Besides General Frank Gorenc, the delegation visiting the AEGIS Ashore system in Romania included French Lieutenant General Dominique de Longvilliers, Deputy Commander AIRCOM and General Nicolae-Ionel Ciucă, Chief of the Romanian General Staff, and Major General Laurian Atanasof, Chief of the Romanian Air Force.

Hosted by the Commanding Officer, AAMDS, Romania, U.S. Navy Commander Andrew Carlson, the purpose of the visit was to better understand the operation of the AEGIS Ashore system and how it will increase NATO's BMD capability.

To learn more about NATO's Allied Air Command, visit their website at www.ac.nato.int