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As the ongoing development of nuclear weapons by unstable rogue regimes continue to make missile defense more of a global issue, Japan’s cooperation with the USA has been obvious, including a recently successful joint test of a modified SM-3 naval missile. Meanwhile, support for the idea of missile defense may be on the rise in Europe as well [PDF].
Europe’s moves in this area have been much quieter and less overt than Japan’s or America’s, but they have not been idle. Spain and Norway have bought AEGIS-equipped ships that can be equipped with SM-3 missiles and related ABM upgrades if required. Britain, France and Italy are investing in and buying creating a naval PAAMS radar and missile system that will have some ballistic missile defense capabilities, as well as a derivative ground based system with point-defense ABM capabilities in the Aster 30 SAMP/T. The USA, Italy, and Germany are also engaged in a land-based venture to modernize their air defense missile systems (Patriot, Hawk, and even Nike Hercules) via a joint venture called MEADS. Similar to the MBDA SAMP/T but representing next-generation technology and deployability, MEADS will be designed to kill enemy aircraft, cruise missiles, UAVs, and ballistic missiles within its reach. A $3.4 billion contract was formally issued back in June 2005, and risk-reduction design & development work is ongoing.
Read “Beyond Patriot? The Multinational MEADS Air Defense Program” for full coverage.
