As part of US President Barack Obama’s updated missile defense system, Poland will receive SM-3 interceptor missiles from America between 2015 and 2018.

“Poland’s Defense Minister Bogdan Klich said the Americans promised to bring the SM-3s here after 2015 but definitely before 2018,” Defense Ministry spokesperson Janusz Sejmej was quoted by Reuters as saying.

The interceptor missiles will be deployed to defend America’s NATO allies in Europe against potential Iranian attack, which could come in the form of short- to medium-range ballistic missiles.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in October 2009 agreed to participate in Mr Obama’s missile shield plan. The new scheme succeeds former President George Bush’s plan to build a fixed missile defense shield in central Europe to protect against possible long-range attack.