Germany interested in Israeli Arrow 3 anti-ballistic system

While Paris and Berlin continue to loudly proclaim their common desire to cooperate in the field of defense technologies, numerous arbitrations carried out by the German authorities, before and after the change of government in December, show a very clear situation. more complex, and a permanent rivalry between the two largest economies in the euro zone, particularly in the field of Armaments.

From the EuroSpike to the P8 Poseidon, from the F-35 to the ESSM, from the Apache to the Arrow 3, the past, present and future choices of the German armies in terms of equipment seem, in fact, to systematically exclude alternatives from France, and more generally from its European partners, for the benefit of US or Israeli equipment of at best equivalent performance and price.

To the point that we can now, and in a very objective manner, question the relevance for France of continuing this effort aimed at bringing the two countries and their defense industries closer together through joint projects.

Un article published on March 27 by the German site Bild.de, indicates, in fact, that Berlin would have approached Jerusalem with a view to acquiring the Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile system co-developed by IAI and Boeing for the benefit of the Hebrew States in order to complete the Anti-Air and Anti-Missile Defense multi-layer of the country further composed of the David Sling at medium range and the Iron Dome at short range.

For Berlin, it is a question of responding in the relatively short term to the threat that Russian ballistic missiles once again represent on its eastern facade and coming from Kaliningrad, in particular short-range ballistic missiles like the Iskander-M and the Toshka-U widely used in Ukraine.

Other reports report discussions between Berlin and Washington about another anti-ballistic system, the famous THAAD implemented by the US Army. On the other hand, at no time does Berlin seem to have considered the possibility of getting closer to its two main European and neighboring trading partners, France and Italy, on the subject of another anti-ballistic system designed by these two countries, the Aster Block 1 NT, which nevertheless offers anti-ballistic interception capabilities, while integrating into a global anti-aircraft defense architecture capable of intercepting other threats such as combat planes, helicopters and missiles cruise using Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles.

Knowing that Germany is also engaged in the modernization of its medium and long-range anti-aircraft capabilities, the European Aster would perfectly meet the needs of the Bundeswehr, especially since the system has demonstrated its very high effectiveness as well. both on land and at sea.

However, there is no indication that the hypothesis was even considered by Berlin, as has often been the case in recent years. Thus, the German Navy favored the choice of US-made anti-aircraft missiles, in this case the ESSM, to equip its new frigates, even though the European MBDA, in France as in Great Britain, offered solutions at least as efficient, such as the PAAMS based on Aster, the Sea Viper based on CAMM or the Mica VL NG.

Previously, Berlin had also turned its back on its traditional French partner in the field of anti-tank missiles by favoring a partnership with the Israeli Rafael and its SPIKE missiles over MBDA's MMP and MAST-F missiles.

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