Internal NATO calculations show that Europe has only a small fraction of the air defense capabilities needed to protect the eastern flank.
This is reported by the Financial Times with reference to sources.
NATO countries are able to provide less than 5% of the air defense capabilities needed to protect their members in Central and Eastern Europe from a full-scale attack.
A senior NATO official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, that the ability to defend against missile and air strikes is "a core part of the plan to defend Eastern Europe against invasion" but "we donʼt have that right now."
At the summit of NATO leaders in Washington in July, the central topic of discussion will be the strengthening of European defense, in particular anti-aircraft defense. Some European leaders and military officials believe Russia could attack a NATO member before the end of the decade.
Russiaʼs heavy use of Soviet-era missiles, drones and aerial bombs in its war against Ukraine has caused NATO members to increase defense spending after decades of military budget cuts.
“Air defense is one of the biggest holes we have. We cannot deny it," said another NATO representative.
Last yearʼs major defense review by the UK government found that the challenge of protecting the skies from attack is now the most acute in 30 years.
Now NATO has given the status of a top priority to the strengthening of anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense. Countries are investing more in new air defense equipment.
In 2023, Germany launched its Sky Shield initiative with more than ten EU countries to create a joint air defense system using technologies developed by the US and Israel. France has publicly criticized the idea, proposing a competing concept.
France, with its nuclear arsenal, insists that Europe should be more independent in matters of defense, so it did not support Germanyʼs decision to buy mostly American equipment for the European Sky Shield air defense initiative.
Meanwhile, Germany believes that there is no reliable alternative to broad military cooperation with the US, as Europe does not have enough time to wait for its domestic defense industry to be ready for threats such as Russian aggression.