December 13, 2004 :: AFP :: News
El Mundo reports that Spain will be deploying some sixty four American Patriot interceptors on their Mediterranean coast, in the southern provinces of Sevilla and Cadiz.
A statement by the Spanish government noted its responsibility to be able to “act against ballistic missiles, which have become one of the main and new threats against nation states.” The interceptors come from Germany, and are being sold for about 100 million euros.
The AFP notes that Germany, Greece, and the Netherlands already have some minimal level of missile defense technology—namely, Patriots. The purchase is significant, however, as it marks the gradual but increasing recognition by an increasing number of countries that the ballistic missile threat is real and growing. That the missiles are facing towards the Mediterranean is likely an indication of concern about missiles in the Middle East, in such states as Iran, whose Shahab missile is said to have recently acquired sufficient range to strike much of Europe. (Article)
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