European countries are banding together on missile defence

Europe’s air defences are in a bad state. Its armies have not thought seriously about defending their own skies for some time. But as Russian missiles and drones pound Ukrainian cities, Europe is scrambling to retool. The continent’s missile defences are stretched thin; most countries lack enough interceptors to thwart massed attacks. Many have donated precious batteries to Ukraine.

Germany, usually a defence laggard, is leading efforts to rearm. In August 2022 Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), a plan to jointly procure air-defence systems. Fully 21 countries have joined, enticed by the potential economies of scale. The hope is that co-operation will eventually stretch to logistics, maintenance and training. “It’s about cutting costs and quickly acquiring capabilities,” says Fabian Hoffmann of the University of Oslo.