frequently asked questions on missile defense

Current Issues

Q:  What has the U.S. asked the Czech Government?
A:  The United States has asked the current Czech government to enter into formal negotiations on hosting a missile defense facility.  The Czech government announced March 28, 2007, that it had decided to enter into negotiations about the U.S. interest in building a missile defense radar facility in the Brdy military area.

Q:  What are the next steps? 
A:  The exchange of diplomatic notes between the U.S. and Czech governments which was completed on March 28, 2007 set the framework for formal negotiations. Planning must now begin for the talks. In coming months we expect there will be Czech-U.S. talks in Prague, and also in the United States.  Some technical evaluations of the proposed site will be concurrent with the negotiations. The final decision whether to host a missile defense facility will be a Czech decision.

Q:  Haven’t negotiations been taking place for years? 
A:  The U.S. has been exploring options for an MD site in Europe for several years.  The Czech Republic was one of several NATO allies who responded positively to the U.S. request to look at possible sites.  Last year U.S. and Czech experts conducted technical evaluations of three sites proposed by the Czech government.  These technical talks do not represent formal negotiations. Some details regarding the proposed facility will only be finalized during negotiations.

Q:  Will the public be informed?
A:  Since January 19, when the United States proposed formal negotiations on missile defense for the protection of Europe, the Czech government has conducted numerous briefings, covered by the media, to provide information.  The U.S. Embassy has posted factual information on missile defense on its website since September 2006.  The U.S. Embassy is committed to offering factual information on the radar facility proposed for the Czech Republic, with details as they become available.  It should be noted that negotiations may continue for many months.

Q:  What specific type of missile defense radar is being proposed?
A:  A ground-based, midcourse X-Band is proposed for the Czech Republic.  The X-band variety means it utilizes a very finely focused beam that is capable of tracking and discerning small objects at great distances and outside the earth's atmosphere. It will not affect mobile telephones or television or radio reception since they operate outside the X-band frequency spectrum.  The radar will never be pointed at the ground and will operate only during testing or during an actual missile launch.  Extensive health and safety analysis has been conducted and is available in the missile defense environmental impact statement located at mda.mil website.
X-band radars are used all over the world, including airports and as weather radars.  The international airport in Prague has an X-band radar on top of its control tower to monitor aircraft movement on its runways.
The radar proposed for use in the Czech Republic is actually a radar that has been used for missile defense tests for many years on a U.S. Missile Defense Agency test facility on Kwajalein, in the Marshall Islands.  After refurbishment and updating of the radar components, it would be moved to the Czech Republic.  The basic functionality of the radar has been in testing for about 10 years at Kwajalein.

Q: When would the radar become operational in the Czech Republic and what restrictions can local residents expect during construction?
A: Current plans could result in initial site work such as ground preparation and clearing in the near future.  Under current plans, construction would be completed in 2010 or 2011.  During the construction phase, there would be minimal restrictions on the activities of local residents and these restrictions would likely be similar to that of any other large construction project.  Construction of a much larger missile defense installation at Fort Greely, Alaska, resulted in very few restrictions for local residents, and these were mainly short-term road closures in order to move large pieces of equipment.

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