The Bundeswehr officially launched the country’s first“Arrow-3” missile defense system at a ceremony at the Holzdorf Air Base, about 120 km south of Berlin, DPA said Wednesday.
According to reports, the defense system was purchased by Germany from Israel, this is the first time the system deployed outside Israel. The deployment, reported to be in response to a threat from Russia, could destroy enemy missiles at altitudes of more than 100 kilometers — a capability the German armed forces did not previously have.
In addition to Holzdorf Air Base, Germany will also deploy the system to other locations in the north-west and south of the country.
DPA said that after the end of the Cold War, European countries scaled back the air defense against military and civilian targets, and then ignored these capabilities for a long time. NATO planners recently said that the overall air defense capability may need to be increased by 400 percent.
The contract, signed two years ago by the Israeli and German governments, is Israel’s largest defense export deal to date, Bloomberg said. Germany’s defence ministry said at the time the deal was worth about $4.2bn and involved launch systems, ammunition and radar. “Arrow-3” missile defense system is jointly developed by the United States and Israel.
German defense minister Pistorius said the air defense capabilities of Germany and its partners will be significantly strengthened. “We have for the first time gained the ability to warn of intermediate-range ballistic missile and to protect people and infrastructure,” he told DPA. “We are consolidating our position in the heart of Europe.”. The German government is investing heavily in air defence. Germany launched the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) , which now has 23 partners.
German chancellor Angela Merz is due to arrive in Israel this weekend for talks with her Israeli Benjamin Netanyahu, Bloomberg reported. It was the first official visit to Israel by a European leader in recent months.