IRIS-T SLM emerges as Europe’s fastest-growing air defense system

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

Tysklands satsning på luftvern og missilforsvar og Norges ballistiske missilforsvarsvakuum

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

Germany’s F127 Frigates: Sea-Based Missile Defense for the Baltic Era

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

Germany’s Arrow 3 Acquisition: From Zeitenwende to Operational Reality

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

Fremtidsanalyse 2026-2036: Hvorfor norske luftvernplaner vil feile igjen

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

Finland’s air defense transformation: from neutral defender to NATO’s northern anchor

Finland has executed one of the most dramatic military pivots in modern European history, transforming from seven decades of carefully maintained neutrality into a frontline NATO state with rapidly expanding air and missile defense capabilities. The €317 million acquisition of Israel’s David’s Sling system, the first export sale of this advanced weapon, marks the centerpiece of an ambitious layered defense architecture now protecting 1,340 kilometers … Continue reading Finland’s air defense transformation: from neutral defender to NATO’s northern anchor

Denmark’s Historic Air Defence Investment: A New Era for European Air Defence

On 12 September 2025, the Danish Ministry of Defence announced the largest weapons procurement in the country’s history – an investment of 58 billion Danish kroner (approximately £6.6 billion) in ground-based air and missile defence systems. This decision not only marks the end of Denmark’s 20-year gap in ground-based air defence but also represents a fundamental shift towards European defence autonomy during a period of increasing geopolitical tensions. Continue reading Denmark’s Historic Air Defence Investment: A New Era for European Air Defence

Strategic Air Defense Blindspots: Critical Capability Gaps Reshaping European Security

The strategic landscape facing European air defense represents convergent disruption rather than linear threat evolution. Mainstream analysis focusing on platform modernization and incremental improvements fails to address the fundamental paradigm shifts occurring across technological, economic, and operational domains simultaneously. Continue reading Strategic Air Defense Blindspots: Critical Capability Gaps Reshaping European Security