'The critical element': NATO missile defense systems strive for interoperability.

AuthorMachi, Vivienne

As European nations look to counter a proliferation of ballistic missile threats from both state and non-state actors, defense contractors are working to develop new solutions for missile defense command and control to ensure interoperability across platforms, officials and analysts said.

NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment Camille Grand called interoperability "the critical element" of the alliance's ballistic missile defense focus.

"What we want to do is to make sure our systems are all fully interoperable, and that we share the same command and control to operate all missile defense for the European continent," he said in an interview with National Defense.

Countries across the continent are investing in systems, such as Lockheed Martin's terminal high altitude area defense system and the forthcoming medium extended air defense system. Others are procuring Patriot batteries developed by Raytheon, or hosting land sites and ships equipped with Lockheed's Aegis Combat System.

Meanwhile, NATO is investing billions of dollars into developing and enhancing a command-and-control system that will connect all these assets to each other, securing coverage against short- and long-range ballistic missiles for most of the European theater.

Until about a decade ago, European nations were less likely to place a premium on missile defense investments, analysts said. But the rise in threats coming from state actors including Russia and Iran, as well as non-state actors employing ballistic missile capabilities in areas such as Yemen, have caused NATO members to place a premium on integrating their varied systems and capabilities.

Since the 2016 Warsaw Summit, NATO has invested over $1.1 billion to develop an open architecture command-and-control system that can coordinate all of the assets procured by member nations, Grand said. The system reached initial operational capability in 2016, and the alliance is now focused on developing an enhanced operational capability, which is expected to be delivered "in the next couple of years," he added.

"The key issue is to be able to plug in many, many capabilities coming from different allies," he said. "Whenever an ally acquires a new radar, we want to make sure it's immediately interoperable."

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The enhancements are expected to help NATO more thoroughly protect its members against threats coming from outside the European area, he said. "It's not meant to upset long-range threats from major powers," Grand added. But the alliance must continue to consider how the threat might expand in capability or quantity...

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