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The »Arrow3« missile defense system during an exercise (2019)
Photo: - / AFP
The idea of a common European air defense system against ballistic missiles is taking shape.
According to SPIEGEL information, a joint declaration of intent is to be signed by at least 13 EU countries on Wednesday, on the sidelines of the NATO defense ministers' meeting at Brussels headquarters .
According to NATO diplomats, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and the Netherlands want to sign a declaration of intent in addition to Germany.
The “letter of intent” allows initial planning for the extensive project to begin.
It is possible, according to diplomats, that further partners would be added before the drawing.
Scholz announced in a keynote speech in Prague in August that he wanted to build a new air defense system with European neighbors.
The joint project is "a gain in security for the whole of Europe", more cost-effective and more efficient than national systems.
The project is a reaction to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
At that time, many countries in Europe realized that too much had been saved on air defense in recent years.
The new system is about defending against ballistic missiles as well as protecting the so-called close range, for example from drone attacks.
The Israeli "Arrow" system will probably be purchased for missile defense.
So far, the Bundeswehr has been equipped with the US "Patriot" system, which is also considered highly effective but is not suitable for a large protective shield.
The idea for the common defense system sounds simple.
The plan is to combine several "Arrow" systems and thus significantly increase the protective shield.
In some countries, probably only the missile batteries of the system would have to be stationed, which are alerted to incoming missiles.
It is still unclear who will pay for the system.
Germany would like to take a leading role in the project.
But Berlin can hardly bear the entire budget of billions.
Paris has no interest in the joint project
The "Arrow" system is designed to launch missiles beyond the Earth's atmosphere.
There, individual warheads separate, track their target and neutralize it.
These so-called high-altitude launches are primarily intended to safely destroy incoming nuclear, biological or chemical missiles.
It was foreseeable that many Eastern European countries would be interested in the joint project.
However, Poland, for example, does not want to join the project and build its own air defense system.
France also has little interest in the joint project.
As a nuclear nation, Paris has traditionally relied more on the deterrent effect of its own nuclear arsenal than on conventional air defense systems.