The article serves as an introduction to the set of papers that are devoted to the issue of ballistic missile defence as seen from the Polish perspective. It therefore refers in the most general terms to the key problems of the technolog y and the organization of missile defence. First of all, ballistic missiles and their strategic roles are considered as it is necessary to understand the threat before the defence against it is analyzed. Secondly, the nature of the ballistic missile defence is de

scribed, together with extensive reflections on its effectiveness. Further on the
paper depicts in short missile defence systems of the world with the special at

tention to the United States.