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Topic: Air Warfare Blog Brand: The Buzz Region: Europe Tags: Air Defense, Arrow 3, Drones, Israel, NATO, and Russia Why Europe Is Buying “Arrow-3” Missile Defense Systems from Israel January 3, 2026 By: Brandon J. Weichert
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European NATO members are preparing to defend their airspaces after a string of drone incursions over the past fall.
Germany continues to take the calls for European rearmament seriously. In what is being dubbed as the single largest Israeli defense export ever, Germany has expanded its Arrow-3 air defense system purchase with Israel earlier this month.
Berlin has expanded its purchase order to around $3.1 billion from the initial purchase value, bringing the whole deal’s value up to more than $6.7 billion.
Germany Is Leading Europe’s Rearmament Panic
Germany’s Arrow-3 interceptor arsenal will be enhanced around Germany and will eventually be deployed to fellow NATO countries.
This purchase is part of the larger European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) that the continent’s powers are embracing as part of a larger strategy of defense against what they fear is a growing Russian threat to their east.
Earlier this year there was a bit of a scare among European leaders as a seemingly ceaseless wave of drones incurred upon the airspace of various European NATO members. Everyone on the continent held their collective breath, as they believed the Russians were readying to swarm their territory with drones and missiles.
The drone scare lasted for a bit and then dissipated. But the Europeans understandably want to get a better handle on their air defense. Accordingly, they are looking to Israel, which has pioneered the world’s most cutting-edge air defense systems to protect its airspace from terrorist threats.
Germany’s Biggest Israeli Defense Deal—Ever
Israel’s Arrow-3 air defense system is a space-based anti-ballistic missile defense system that is designed for knocking down incoming enemy ballistic missiles as they are crossing space on approach to their distant targets.
The Arrow-3 is not meant to be employed alone. It forms the uppermost layer of an integrated defense system involving other components of Israel’s national missile defense system, including the Arrow-2, David’s Sling, Iron Dome—and soon a directed energy weapon (DEW) system known as the “Iron Beam.”
Arrow-3 utilizes what’s known as a “hit-to-kill,” which is basically like shooting down a bullet with a bullet. As one might imagine, these systems are hard to perfect. But Israel’s Arrow-3 is combat proven. For instance, during recent rounds of fighting in the Middle East involving the Yemen-based, Iran-backed Houthi Rebels, the Arrow-3s successfully intercepted missiles the Yemeni group had hurled toward Israel.
At the same time, it’s important to note that, no matter how sophisticated or reliable—or robust—an air defense network is, there is simply no way that any system can effectively stop all missiles and/or drones entering their airspace. This is something that the Israelis learned the hard way throughout the 12-Day War this last June. Tel Aviv and other sensitive targets were rocked by Iranian, Hamas, and Houthi missiles, drones, and even hypersonic weapons.
Germany Can’t Copy Israel’s Layered Defense Model
If the Germans are serious about purchasing the Arrow-3 and spreading it throughout their territory and NATO’s frontier, they should be aware that against an advanced, battle-hardened enemy, like the Russian Federation, systems like the Arrow-3 will only serve as a stopgap.
What the Germans and NATO need are greater numbers of air defenses that they simply can neither produce in sufficient numbers before their self-appointed deadline of 2029, when some NATO officials insist the Russians will attack NATO.
And relying on the Israelis to produce these systems, when their defense industrial base is already overburdened—and the Israelis require these systems as much as the Germans and Europeans do—is unrealistic. Besides, if the Ukraine War has shown anything it has been that no air defense can fully protect a large area.
Sure, Arrow-3s might help protect sensitive infrastructure and command centers for a short time. But the kind of weapons—in large amounts—that we know the Russians can field in a short timeframe, means that the Arrow-3 is never going to be effective in the way that European leaders believe the system will be effective.
All this can be avoided if the Europeans can get behind a real peace negotiation between Russia and Ukraine, rather than continuing to try to expand the Ukraine War. So far, though, Europe’s leaders have treated this notion with scorn—and by the time they see the wisdom in it, it may be too late.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert is a senior national security editor at The National Interest. Recently, Weichert became the host of The National Security Hour on America Outloud News and iHeartRadio, where he discusses national security policy every Wednesday at 8pm Eastern. Weichert hosts a companion book talk series on Rumble entitled “National Security Talk.” He is also a contributor at Popular Mechanics and has consulted regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including The Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, and the Asia Times. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Wikimedia Commons.
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Источник: nationalinterest.org