Iran long-range strikes expose gaps in Europe’s air defense, expert tells 'Post' | The Jerusalem Post
AI Analysis
Iran's recent long-range ballistic missile strike on the Diego Garcia base has exposed vulnerabilities in Europe's air defense systems, prompting a reevaluation of defensive capabilities. This development highlights Iran's extended strike range, potentially threatening major European cities.
Key Takeaways
- Iran fired long-range ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia base, exceeding its declared range.
- The strike puts most European countries within Iran's strike radius.
- American missile-defense assets have been partially relocated from Europe to the Middle East.
- The strike may force European countries to recalibrate their air defense strategies.
- The European Sky Shield Initiative aims to enhance air missile defense systems in response to emerging threats.
Why It Matters
The strategic significance lies in Iran's demonstrated capability to target distant locations, which could alter the balance of power and defense strategies in Europe. This development may accelerate European efforts to bolster air defense systems, ensuring preparedness against potential long-range threats.
Iran long-range strikes expose gaps in Europe’s air defense, expert tells 'Post' | The Jerusalem Post
Iran long-range strikes expose gaps in Europe’s air defense, expert tells 'Post' - interview
Iran fired two long-range ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia joint UK-US army base 4000 km away, potentially putting most European countries within its strike radius.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Defence Minister Boris Pistorius take a group photo with representatives of members of the military initiative sky shield during the operative launch of the Bundeswehr's first IRIS-T SLM air defence system at the Todendorf military base on September 4, 2024.( photo credit: Gregor Fischer/Getty Images)
Iran’s recent strikes exposed critical gaps in Europe’s air-defense systems despite Western technological superiority, Mauro Gilli, professor of Military Strategy and Technology at the Hertie School in Berlin, told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.
“I think it’s at least fair to say that making European countries recalibrate their defensive capabilities was exactly one of the goals Iran might have had in mind [with the Diego Garcia strike],” he said.
On March 20, Iran fired two long-range ballistic missiles at the Diego Garcia joint UK-US army base in the Chagos Archipelago, a group of seven atolls about 500 kilometers south of the Maldives archipelago. Diego Garcia is about 4,000 km. away from Iran.
The attack indicated that Iran’s firing range far exceeded its declared range of 2,000 km., putting most of Europe within its strike radius, including Paris, Berlin, and Rome.
“We know that since the beginning of the conflict, at least a part of American-made missile-defense assets based in Europe have been relocated toward the Middle East,” Gilli told the Post. “Now, by showing the capability of at least aiming at very long-range targets, Iran showed European countries that they are actually within [its] range.”
European countries had not excluded such a strike range prior to the US-Israel war against Iran, but it was never proven, he said.
Processed and enhanved Sentinal-2 satellite imagery captures Diego Garcia, the largest island of the Chagos Archipelago. (credit: Maps4media via Getty Images)
“By attempting this strike, it’s fair to say that Iran probably wanted to create a dilemma for European countries that of course, if American-made assets are relocated to the Middle East, then they [the European countries] might be undefended or less defended than they could,” he added.
Regarding whether this is going to create long-term changes in the way Europe and NATO approach air defense, Gilli said this was already happening because of the war in Ukraine.
“I think in Europe, there was already an ambition among multiple countries with Sky Shield, in Italy with Michelangelo, to kind of say, ‘we need to develop more advanced air missile defense systems," he said.
The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI)