Arrow 3: What You Should Know About Germany's Latest Missile Defense System

(Deutsche Welle) If a missile attacks from high altitude, the Arrow 3 system aims to intercept it before it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere. This new defense system entered the testing phase this Wednesday (December 3). Germany thus becomes the first country besides Israel to incorporate the Arrow 3 into its defense system .

The activation of the Arrow-3 is seen as a direct response to Russia's aggression against Ukraine , while also addressing the growing threat posed by modern long-range missiles. The Arrow-3 is part of a shift in Germany's security policy since 2022—a shift dubbed a "turning point" —which includes a significant increase in defense spending and the development of a tiered European air defense system.

While Germany and Europe consider the risk of a direct missile attack from high altitude or space to be low, countries like Russia possess long-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching extremely high altitudes, posing a serious potential threat in a crisis. Previously, Germany lacked a military response to this. NATO analysis reports have long warned of security vulnerabilities in Europe. The Arrow-3 missile system is designed to fill these vulnerabilities.

"Direct hit" rather than a traditional explosion

The Arrow-3 missile defense system, jointly developed by Israel and the United States, is one of the world's most advanced intercontinental ballistic missile interceptor systems. In the field of short- and medium-range defense, the German-made IRIS-T air defense system covers short-range targets within approximately 15,000 meters, while the Patriot system covers targets within approximately 50,000 meters. The Arrow-3, however, is specifically designed to defend against long-range and high-altitude threats.

The Arrow-3 missile can intercept incoming missiles at an altitude of 100,000 meters (i.e., during the missile's entry into space), with an interception range of up to 2,400 kilometers. These three systems together constitute a multi-layered missile defense system.

The advanced Arrow-3 missile is also very expensive: the cost of a single Arrow-3 interceptor missile is estimated to be several million euros. The Patriot and IRIS-T systems are much cheaper and can be deployed in greater numbers in emergency situations.

The Arrow-3 missile defense system employs a so-called "hit-to-kill" approach: instead of destroying incoming missiles through traditional explosive fragmentation, it destroys them through direct impact. It intercepts the target in its flight path before it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere.

Compared to destroying incoming missiles with explosives, the Arrow-3's "direct hit" produces less debris, thus improving security in densely populated areas. This defense system requires precision guidance to achieve this. The warhead itself is also equipped with sensors for target correction as it approaches the target.

Defend against high-speed ballistic missiles that are extremely difficult to intercept

Similar to the Patriot missile defense system, the Arrow-3 consists of three main mobile components: an early warning radar for rapidly detecting ballistic trajectories, a battle management system for analyzing threats to determine interception measures, and a mobile launcher for launching interceptor missiles.

This system is primarily used to intercept ballistic missiles. After launch, ballistic missiles are mainly affected by gravity in their flight trajectory. They are initially accelerated by rocket engines, then rise to high altitudes, sometimes even into space. Ultimately, they fall onto their targets.

Unlike cruise missiles, which are guided throughout their flight, ballistic missiles are guided only during the launch phase. Because ballistic missiles fly at extremely high speeds, have extremely long ranges, and can fly at high altitudes, they are extremely difficult to intercept. Modern intercontinental ballistic missiles, such as Russia's Sarmat missile, can reach speeds exceeding 20,000 kilometers per hour.

Holzdorf, the first deployment site of the Arrow-3 missile in Germany

The first deployment site for the Arrow-3 missile defense system in Germany is located at Holzdorf military airfield, south of Berlin, at the tri-state border of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and Saxony. The airfield is currently testing personnel deployment, operational procedures, and integration with the NATO air defense network.

In addition to Holzdorf, deployment sites are also planned in the German states of Bavaria and Schleswig-Holstein. The Arrow-3 system is expected to have full protection capabilities by 2030. By deploying the system at multiple locations, the aim is to ensure that protection remains effective even if a single component fails in a critical situation.

The Arrow-3 was first officially commissioned by Israel in early 2017. With its deployment in Germany, it is now part of the European Sky Shield (ESSI) air defense system.

Further Reading: What You Should Know About Europe's "Sky Shield" Air Defense System

The largest arms deal between Germany and Israel

In late September 2023, Germany and Israel finalized a deal in Berlin for the purchase of the Arrow-3 air defense system —the largest arms deal between the two countries to date. The deal was worth approximately €3.3 billion. A portion of the funds will be used for maintenance and support to ensure the system can operate for decades.

However, the significance of this agreement extends far beyond the multi-billion euro deal. It also strengthens the security partnership between Germany and Israel. For Europe, the Arrow-3 missile system also marks a significant step towards reducing its dependence on US weapons systems.