NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY DEVESELU, Romania

190809-N-AW818-889 NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY DEVESELU, Romania (Aug. 9, 2019) Dark clouds gather before a summer rain storm over the U.S. Navy base in Romania, home to NATO's Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense System (AABMDS) site, after completing a long-planned systems update, Aug. 9, 2019. During the maintenance period, the U.S. fulfilled its commitment to NATO's Ballistic Missile Defense(BMD) by the temporary deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system to the Naval Support Facility in Deveselu, Romania. The deployment of the U.S. Army’s THAAD battery to Romania lasted about six weeks while Aegis Ashore software and other equipment was updated. In April, the task force deployed to NSFD where they integrated into the existing NATO BMD architecture during a period of routine maintenance and upgrade of the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense System located there. The THAAD system re-deployed back to the U.S. and NATO's Aegis Ashore has resumed full functionality and remains focused on potential threats from outside the Euro-Atlantic area. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Amy Forsythe/Released)