The German military commander admitted that intercepting Iskander missiles in Kaliningrad was out of the question and proposed purchasing US or Israeli air defence systems to deal with the threat.
“The Kaliningrad-based Iskander missile has a range that nearly covers all of Western Europe, and this region has no defences. The right systems are in place in Israel and the United States. The question is which option is prioritised and can be. Whether NATO should build a common shield or not. We do not have the time or resources to develop such systems ourselves, and the threat is already apparent “In an interview published today, German military commander Eberhard Zorn stated.
When asked if Germany needed a missile shield like Israel’s, General Zorn made the remarks. He admitted that the country’s air defence capabilities are still severely limited. The German official did not name specific systems, but appeared to be referring to Israel’s Arrow 3 ballistic missile shield and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense developed by the United States (THAAD).
The German military now divides the grid of air defence into three levels. The first is close range, which is designed to protect mobile units on the ground. “We have a relatively limited capacity with this layer of protection, but we have begun the search for new systems. That must be implemented as soon as possible “General Zorn has been revealed.
The second tier is made up of Patriot air defense systems purchased from the United States and in need of modernization, while the final tier is a ballistic missile shield.
Last month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced that the country would increase defense spending above 2% of GDP by adding $110 billion to the military budget. After Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24, the decision was made. General Zorn is one of the officials advising Chancellor Scholz on the defense spending plan following the budget increase.
Kaliningrad is a Russian overseas territory that borders two NATO members, Lithuania and Poland, and serves as the headquarters of the Russian Navy’s Baltic Fleet. Because of its strategic location in the heart of NATO, this is regarded as a stopover for Moscow in the event of a conflict.
The Russian military has deployed a slew of cutting-edge weapons in this region, including the Iskander-M tactical ballistic missile, the Bastion coastal defence complex, and the S-400 air defence system.
Iskander is a solid propellant single-stage rocket with a satellite navigation system, a length of 7.2 m, a diameter of 0.95 m, a launch mass of 3.8 tonnes, a maximum range of 500 km, and the ability to carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.
The Iskander’s standout feature is its ability to breach any missile defence system on the planet. Each projectile has a top speed of 9,350 km/h and the ability to constantly change flight paths and launch traps to counter the enemy’s interception efforts.
The Iskander-M version also has an optical-electronic detector and a data link with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) or airborne early warning and control aircraft, allowing the missile to hit its target. mobile with a two-meter margin of error
