An early warning center on Czech soil will be part of NATO missile defense, Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas said on Saturday.

According to CTK, he said the facility, which was currently being discussed by the Czech Republic and the United States, would be probably operated by Czechs and would not require a new U.S.-Czech treaty.

He said Washington has proposed investing $2 million in the project in 2011 and 2012.

The facility will gather information from satellites, helping detect flying missiles targeting NATO territory, Necas said.

He stressed that it would not be a base or a strictly military facility but rather a technical and administrative center to be operated by a handful of people.

Czech daily Hospodarske noviny reported on Saturday that the Pentagon has asked the U.S. Congress for funding to establish an early warning center.

In the past, Washington had plans to build a missile radar near Prague.

The plans were scrapped by the Barack Obama administration last fall, and discussions focused on a NATO missile defense system in Europe.

Russia has fiercely opposed the U.S. missile defense plans as a threat to its national security.

PRAGUE, July 31 (RIA Novosti)