European missile manufacturers and defense groups have formed a new consortium to develop what they say will be the continent's first interceptor capable of destroying medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in space. Reuters reports, UNN informs.
Details
It is noted that the consortium includes:
- French group Thales;
- aviation giant Airbus;
- German division MBDA Deutschland;
- technology company Safran;
- aerospace startup Destinus.
It is stated that the companies signed a letter of intent in Paris to establish the Bliksem EXO consortium, the goal of which is to develop a sovereign exoatmospheric interceptor missile.
Europe insists on closing critical gaps in air and missile defense after Russia's invasion of Ukraine amid growing concerns about ballistic missile threats
It is noted that EU leaders understand the risks and want to have their own defense tools. The companies plan to sign a binding consortium agreement within three months, begin joint engineering work in August, and conduct an exoatmospheric missile test in space in 2027.
Reminder
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy is convinced that Russian ballistic missiles will soon be able to strike at a distance of up to 5000 km.