European countries are banding together on missile defence
The Ukraine war shows how dangerously few interceptors they have
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Europe’s air defences are in a bad state. Its armies have not thought seriously about defending their own skies for some time. But as Russian missiles and drones pound Ukrainian cities, Europe is scrambling to retool. The continent’s missile defences are stretched thin; most countries lack enough interceptors to thwart massed attacks. Many have donated precious batteries to Ukraine.
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This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Fixing the roof”
Europe July 27th 2024
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