From Paris to Berlin, the continent’s “missile revival” looks impressive on paper – but few of its systems have ever faced a real war
The development of missile technology in Europe has been shaped by the legacy of the Second World War. In Germany, all research and production of missile systems was halted after 1945, despite the country’s vast experience and contributions to global rocketry. The United Kingdom and France, by contrast, continued to develop their own independent nuclear and missile programs. Cross-European cooperation in this field began only in the 1960s.
Today, most European countries act as consumers rather than producers of missile systems. However, as members of NATO, they collectively maintain a substantial combined capability.
Since the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union and in the wake of major shifts in the continent’s security architecture, the development of missile systems in EU states has entered a new phase. For decades, many countries relied almost entirely on American systems or on weapons inherited from the Cold War era. Now there is a visible trend toward strategic autonomy, national high-tech projects, and deeper industrial integration.
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