Europe’s Getting Its Own Missile-Killer

David Axe

Security,

European missile-maker MBDA is working on a new high-altitude missile-interceptor, one that could represent the first step toward a uniquely European missile-defense system. But the new interceptor won’t solve what is probably the biggest problem with Europe’s missile-shield.

European missile-maker MBDA is working on a new high-altitude missile-interceptor, one that could represent the first step toward a uniquely European missile-defense system. But the new interceptor won’t solve what is probably the biggest problem with Europe’s missile-shield.

On Nov. 12, 2019, the European Union green-lit development of MBDA’s Timely Warning and Interception with Space-based Theater surveillance capability project, or TWISTER. The international missile-defense project involves France, Finland, Italy, The Netherlands and Spain and could enter service as early as 2030, MBDA announced.

“The interceptor component of the TWISTER project will ultimately become a key element in the contribution made by European countries to NATO’s territorial, population and armed forces defense mission while meeting the European Union’s level of ambition in the field of missile-defense,” the missile-maker stated.

The TWISTER missile is endo-atmospheric, meaning it needs to breathe relatively dense air and its sensors can handle the heat of air friction. That places it in roughly the same class as the U.S. Navy’s SM-2 missile interceptor and the U.S. Army’s Patriot and limits the munition to hitting incoming rockets while they’re no higher than around 150,000 or 200,000 feet.

Exo-atmospheric interceptors such as the Navy’s SM-3 and the Army’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system can hit rockets as high as 300,000 feet.

MDMA wants to equip both sea- and land-based launch systems with the TWISTER interceptor.

“This new endo-atmospheric interceptor will address a wide range of threats including, manoeuvring ballistic missiles with intermediate ranges, hypersonic or high-supersonic cruise missiles, hypersonic gliders and more conventional targets such as next-generation fighter aircraft,” MDMA stated.