Poland's prime minister said that his country is ready to participate in President Barrack Obama's revamped plan for a US missile defense shield in Europe.

Speaking alongside US Vice President Joe Biden, Donald Tusk welcomed the Obama administration's proposal for a missile shield that would replace a bulkier version previously planned for Poland.

"I want to stress that Poland views ... the new configuration for the missile shield as very interesting, necessary, and we are ready at the appropriate scale to participate," Tusk told reporters.

The Obama administration scrapped a Bush-era plan that would have put 10 missile interceptors in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic to intercept long-range missiles launched from so-called "rogue" states such as Iran.

Instead, the Obama administration has proposed a reconfigured system that envisions putting the U.S. Navy's Standard Missile-3 on ships and land-based versions in Europe. The Pentagon says the anti-ballistic missile is the most technically advanced and cost-effective way to counter Iran's anticipated arsenal.

Biden, who was on the first stop of a three-nation trip to eastern Europe aimed at reassuring Washington's allies in the region of its support, praised Warsaw for its readiness to accept the revamped plan.

"We appreciate Poland has stepped up and agreed to host an element of the previous missile defense plan, and we now appreciate that Poland's government agrees with us that there is now a better way ... with new technology and new information, to defend against emerging ballistic missile threats," Biden said.

Sketching out the Obama administration's vision for the missile defense, Biden said the new approach would meet "a growing threat" to the US and Europe.

"It's going to meet it with proven technology that will cover more of Europe, including Poland, and will do it more efficiently than the previous system could have or did," he said.

"Simply put, our missile plan is better security for NATO and is better security for Poland."