Washington is delaying in validating the Arrow 3 contract between Germany and Israel. According to the Israeli press, the Biden administration is blocking the sale of a missile shield designed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing. This device was financed up to 80%, or 2,200 million dollars, by the United States, which thus has veto power for export sales of this system.
This €2bn deal has been under discussion since March, but the US was trying to sell Germany a competing system, THAAD, made by Lockheed Martin. Last week, Berlin confirmed that its choice would be the Israeli Arrow 3.
Jerusalem reportedly approached Washington several times for approval, but got no response. For Israeli officials, this silence is a sign of opposition, but in the absence of an official rejection, the green light is not excluded.
Defense Europe
The decision to equip itself with such a shield was made after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24. Berlin demands that it be operational from 2025 in three places in Germany to protect its territory, but also Poland, Romania and the Baltic countries. This protection system is capable of intercepting ballistic missiles at an altitude of more than 100 kilometers with a range of 2,400 kilometers.
The announcement of equipping itself with an American-Israeli anti-missile shield is perceived as a new blow by Germany to European unity in terms of armaments. Many signs point to Germany’s ambition to differentiate itself from its European partners in general and from France in particular.
Scaf and MGCS
Berlin has decided not to participate in the modernization of the Tiger combat helicopters, whose modernization will take place without Germany which could be equipped with American AH-64 Apaches. Or the 1.43 billion euro contract with Boeing to equip its navy with five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol boats thus giving rise to the MAWS program with France. Berlin has also chosen to equip itself with American F-35 fighters to the detriment of European planes.
Finally, two other issues strain relations with France. The Scaf, the air combat system of the future, remains a more than sensitive issue between France and Germany, through its manufacturers Dassault and Airbus. Then the MGCS future battle tank program between Nexter and Rheinmetall.
On September 12, General Eberhard Zorn, Chief of Staff of the Bundeswehr, underscored the point with a shocking statement to the DGAP. [Conseil allemand des relations étrangères].
Source: BFM TV
