A U.S.-supplied long-range radar unit has been activated in Turkey's Kurecik province in accordance with NATO plans to establish a ballistic missile shield for Europe.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced that both U.S. and Turkish troops were operating the radar system.

The United States has also struck deals with Poland, Romania and Spain to host U.S. missile interceptors as part of the planned NATO antimissile system. Washington and Brussels insist the shield is intended to counter a potential ballistic missile attack from Iran. Russia, however, suspects the Western military alliance of plotting to undermine its long-range nuclear missiles.

Phase One (in the 2011 timeframe) – Deploy current and proven missile defense systems available in the next two years, including the sea-based Aegis Weapon System, the SM-3 interceptor (Block IA), and sensors such as the forward-based Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance system (AN/TPY-2), to address regional ballistic missile threats to Europe and our deployed personnel and their families;

Phase Two (in the 2015 timeframe) – After appropriate testing, deploy a more capable version of the SM-3 interceptor (Block IB) in both sea- and land-based configurations, and more advanced sensors, to expand the defended area against short- and medium-range missile threats;

Phase Three (in the 2018 timeframe) – After development and testing are complete, deploy the more advanced SM-3 Block IIA variant currently under development, to counter short-, medium-, and intermediate-range missile threats; and

Phase Four (in the 2020 timeframe) – After development and testing are complete, deploy the SM-3 Block IIB to help better cope with medium- and intermediate-range missiles and the potential future ICBM threat to the United States.