European Defense Firms Team Up on Missile Shield

Leading European defense and aerospace companies have formed a consortium to develop Europe's first interceptor missile capable of destroying medium-and intermediate-range ballistic missiles outside Earth's atmosphere.

The memorandum of understanding was signed in Paris by Thales, Airbus, MBDA Deutschland, Safran and defense startup Destinus.

Known as the Bliksem EXO Consortium, the project is part of Europe's broader effort to strengthen air and missile defenses following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and in response to the growing threat posed by ballistic missiles. The planned interceptor is designed to destroy incoming missiles during the exo-atmospheric phase of their flight, before they re-enter Earth's atmosphere.

The announcement follows the launch of the Integrated Ballistic Missile Defense Coalition, through which several European countries agreed to cooperate on developing a more affordable alternative to the US-made Patriot air defense system. The initiative has gained momentum as Russia has intensified its missile attacks on Ukraine.

The consortium aims to sign a binding agreement within three months, begin joint development in August and conduct the first test of an exo-atmospheric interceptor in 2027. The memorandum itself, however, does not commit the participating companies or governments to funding the project or purchasing the system.

(Reuters, lud)