This InfoFlash assesses how the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) can adapt while advancing EU strategic autonomy and retaining full interoperability with NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD). Europe must stay ready to face saturation drone attacks, massed cruise and ballistic missiles, and emergent hypersonic threats that compress decision cycles and invert defender cost calculus. It frames a triad of space-based missile early warning, a common BM/C2 layer, and missile interceptors as the decisive lever to cut decision time and raise deterrence. It maps current layers (Skyranger 30, IRIS-T, Patriot, Arrow 3) and gaps in stockpiles, costs, cross-border command and data-sharing. It argues for anchoring ESSI to NATINAMDS, accelerating ODIN’S EYE II, TWISTER, HYDIS and HYDEF projects, and adopting any-sensor/any-shooter standards. Recommendations include bundled procurement, EU-level financing, passive/multistatic feeds, and a common operating system to close C2 gaps.
About the author:
Sebastian Morabito was working at Finabel.