October 21, 2004 :: AFP :: News
Germany will spend some 1.25 billion dollars on ballistic missile defense over the next eight years, reports the Agence France-Presse, primarily on the cooperative U.S.-Germany-Italy program, the Medium Extended Air Defense System, or MEADS, designed to succeed, and eventually replace the current Patriot interceptors based in Germany and elsewhere.
MEADS is similar to Patriot in that both intercept missiles in their terminal, or descent phase. MEADS will be a successor, and have a longer range, as much as 1,000km. Part of Germany’s funds will go to the order of between 12 and 24 of the MEADS units, according to German lawmaker Hans-Peter Bartels of the governing Social Democrats. The existing Patriot interceptors in Germany would be gradually replaced.
German and Italian interest in the system reflects a growing shift in opinion, worldwide, that deterrence may fail, and that systems need to be in place for if and when that day comes. (Article)
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