With the corresponding authorization from the U.S., Germany is negotiating with Israel to move forward with the purchase of additional Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile systems, which would allow it to strengthen its air-defense network that already includes these assets acquired in 2023. These talks between both partners come as the German Armed Forces prepare to bring into operation the batteries already purchased from Israel Aerospace Industries, which arrived in the country at a cost of about 3.5 billion dollars.
According to local sources, the German government’s decision to engage in these negotiations responds to the growing concern in Berlin and among its European allies regarding the persistent Russian threat, with the assessment that the country does not have enough air-defense systems to respond to potential attacks. It is important to consider that the new Arrow 3 systems would be acquired not only to protect German airspace, but also to integrate into a broader network that includes other regional partners within NATO.
Along these lines, and briefly reviewing the characteristics of the system Germany seeks to add, the Arrow 3 is specifically designed to destroy ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere—an altitude that enables the safe dispersal of any non-conventional warhead. As such, it would form the third layer of the German government’s Sky Shield plan, capable of neutralizing long-range threats. The first two layers are covered by the locally manufactured IRIS-T systems for short-range threats and the U.S.-made Patriot systems for medium-range threats, which have also been transferred to Ukraine on previous occasions.
Beyond these points, it is also relevant to mention the ceasefire reached in Gaza, which provides the German government with greater room for maneuver in its dealings with Israel. Berlin had even imposed an arms embargo on the country in August due to the rapid deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the context of the war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas, a measure that could be lifted following the announcement of the ceasefire agreement.
This is far from a minor detail, considering that Germany has consolidated itself as one of the main buyers of Israeli weaponry, accounting for 33% of its exports according to SIPRI data covering the period between 2020 and 2024, placing the European country second only to the U.S.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
You may also like: Lockheed Martin sets 2026 as the year to begin test flights of the first F-35A stealth fighter built for the German Air Force
