The rockets which would make up the NATO missile-shield unit in Poland and the CEE region, have been successfully tested in Hawaii.

A successful test of the antiballistic SM-3 missile was conducted on Thursday.

The rockets will be used as part of a NATO missile defence shield in the CEE region, including Poland.

“The Missile Defense Agency conducted the first intercept test of a Raytheon Land-Based Standard Missile-3 Block IB from the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex. The SM-3 destroyed an intermediate range ballistic missile target in space by using remote track data from [a] ballistic missile defense radar in a 'launch-on-remote' engagement,” read a press statement released by Raytheon, a US defence contractor.

The missile base will become operational in line with plans, and will be launched later this year in Romania.

A base in Redzikowo, northern Poland should also become operational by 2018.

In September, the Sejm lower house of Parliament authorised the president to ratify the technical agreement on the Redzikowo base with the United States. (rg/rk)