Are the nations of Europe serious about comprehensive ballistic missile defense (BMD)? Or are they happy to let America provide the only effective shield over their cities and populations? Despite a ringing declaration of intent at the NATO summit meeting in Lisbon last November, these questions remain unanswered.
Until Lisbon, NATO’s policy was to develop only a Theatre BMD–that is, the means to protect limited areas against short- and medium-range ballistic missiles when, for instance, troops are deployed on operations. A Theatre BMD could be done by networking existing air defense systems that have a potential low-altitude (for example, terminal) BMD capability. Eight European NATO members have acquired such systems–Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey operate Patriot batteries, while France, Italy and the UK are introducing ship- and land-based systems that fire the co-developed MBDA Aster missile.
