The proliferation of cheap drones has broken the traditional air defense cost model. Europe’s response so far has been fragmented and inadequate. This analysis examines the C-UAS challenge, surveys available solutions, and asks what a coherent European—and Norwegian—approach might look like. Continue reading Counter-Drone Defense Economics: Why Europe Needs a New Approach to C-UAS
Sticky post
The most comprehensive open-source reference for Western air defense system costs. Updated quarterly with new procurement data, contract announcements, and cost estimates. Continue reading Air Defense Systems Cost Database: Acquisition, Interceptor, and Lifecycle Costs
A systematic guide to understanding how Patriot, SAMP/T, THAAD, Arrow, NASAMS, IRIS-T, and other NATO-aligned systems compare across range, cost, capability, and operational deployment. Continue reading The Complete Air Defense Systems Comparison Matrix: Western Systems Ranked and Analyzed
Sticky post
Both SAMP/T NG and Next-Generation Patriot represent world-class air and missile defense capabilities that would significantly enhance any operator’s defensive posture. The technical specifications are broadly comparable—differences in radar range, missile velocity, and kill mechanisms reflect design philosophy choices rather than clear superiority. Continue reading Europe’s long-range air defense decision: SAMP/T NG versus Next-Generation Patriot
The German-made IRIS-T SLM has become part of the backbone of European medium-range air defense, with at least eight nations ordering systems through the European Sky Shield Initiative framework since 2023. Diehl Defence has scaled production capacity by a factor of ten and invested approximately €1 billion to meet surging demand, with confirmed European contract values exceeding €3.6 billion. However, production still cannot match combined European and Ukrainian demand, creating multi-year delivery backlogs extending to 2030. Continue reading IRIS-T SLM emerges as Europe’s fastest-growing air defense system
Overleveringsseremonien 3. desember på Holzdorf flystasjon markerte et vendepunkt for europeisk luftvern. Tysklands første operative Arrow 3-batteri, kulminasjonen av en anskaffelse på 4 milliarder euro som representerer Israels største forsvarseksport noensinne, posisjonerer Berlin i forkant av kontinental ballistisk missilforsvar. For Norge, som følger med fra den arktiske periferien med sin egen fleremilliardersatsing på luftvernmodernisering, reiser den tyske prestasjonen et ubehagelig spørsmål: hvorfor forblir norsk luftrom … Continue reading Tysklands satsning på luftvern og missilforsvar og Norges ballistiske missilforsvarsvakuum
The Deutsche Marine’s most ambitious surface combatant program extends Zeitenwende to sea While Germany’s December 2025 deployment of the Arrow 3 system at Holzdorf has dominated headlines about German missile defense, an equally significant transformation is underway at sea. The Type F127 frigate program represents Berlin’s commitment to establishing comprehensive sea-based air and missile defense capability for the first time in German naval history. With … Continue reading Germany’s F127 Frigates: Sea-Based Missile Defense for the Baltic Era
On 3 December 2025, the German Air Force formally received its first operational Arrow 3 battery at Holzdorf Air Base in eastern Germany, approximately 120 kilometers south of Berlin. The ceremony marked not merely the completion of a procurement contract, but the culmination of a fundamental transformation in German defense thinking and the beginning of a new era in European air and missile defense capability. Continue reading Germany’s Arrow 3 Acquisition: From Zeitenwende to Operational Reality
Norge er mer enn ett år inn i sin mest ambisiøse forsvarsplan noensinne. Langtidsplan 2024-2036 lover historiske investeringer på 600 milliarder kroner, med luftvern som en av de høyeste prioriteringene. Politikere omtaler det som et “taktskifte” og “vendepunkt” for norsk forsvarsevne. Continue reading Fremtidsanalyse 2026-2036: Hvorfor norske luftvernplaner vil feile igjen
Denne studien dokumenterer hvordan lufttrusselen har blitt vurdert i norske forsvarsplaner fra 2012 til 2024, hvilke luftvernplaner som er vedtatt, og – kritisk viktig – hvilke tiltak som faktisk er gjennomført. Continue reading Luftvern i norske forsvarsplaner 2012-2024
