Germany Is The First In Europe To Deploy The Arrow-3 Missile Defense System

What is its specialty.

Germany is putting into operation for the first time the Arrow-3 system, capable of intercepting and destroying ballistic missiles while still in space.

This is reported by merkur.de.

So, on December 3, 2025, Germany commissioned the state-of-the-art Arrow-3 missile defense system. The launch ceremony was attended by Bundeswehr Inspector General Carsten Breuer and Air Force Inspector Holger Neumann.

The latest equipment is located in Holzdorf, Saxony-Anhalt, and together with the Bundespolizei's new drone countermeasures unit, now creates a powerful shield to defend against airborne threats.

It is worth noting that Israel's Arrow-3 long-range interceptor missile defense system is similar in purpose and capabilities to the U.S. THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense). Both systems are designed to destroy ballistic missiles at high altitude, even before the warhead enters the dense atmosphere.

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) called Arrow-3 "a decisive step to strengthen Germany's air defense."

The system is designed to intercept medium-range ballistic missiles at high altitudes outside the atmosphere. Using hit-to-kill technology, the missile directly engages the target and destroys it before the enemy warhead reaches the object.

In Germany, the Arrow-3 will be part of a layered defense system that includes the U.S. Patriot and Germany's IRIS-T SLM.

Pistorius stressed that the system provides early warning and protection of the population and critical infrastructure against long-range ballistic missiles. The minister called the capability "unique among European partners," which underscores Germany's central role in the heart of Europe and realizes NATO's planning objective.

The Arrow-3's technical specifications:

Purpose: ballistic missile interception

Target: intermediate-range missiles, potentially with WMD

Intercept altitude: more than 100 kilometers

Platform: Land and sea-based

Reaction time: up to 30 seconds

Interception method: body-to-body with vector control

Missile cost: $2-3 million (2010)

Total system cost: 3.6 billion euros

You can support the website Charter97.org

MULTI-CURRENCY ACCOUNT FOR ASSISTANCE:

Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims

You can contact us by the e-mail [email protected]