Germany Prepares First Arrow 3 Battery for Initial Operational Readiness

The first battery of Arrow 3 missile-defense systems purchased from Israel will reach initial operational capability as early as December.

ESUT reported on this.

According to ESUT, this milestone became possible after the first component of the system was deployed in Schönewalde and after personnel completed training with support from Israeli specialists.

The system is being integrated into Germany’s national air-defense network and the European ESSI initiative.

The Arrow 3 system was purchased in 2023 under an intergovernmental agreement between Germany and Israel, with a total value of about 3 billion euros.

The system includes a command post, control equipment, multifunctional radars, and launchers with Arrow 3 missiles capable of intercepting medium- and long-range ballistic missiles at exoatmospheric altitudes – essentially outside the atmosphere – at ranges of approximately 1,500–2,000 km and altitudes of up to 150 km.

This makes Arrow 3 the highest-tier missile defense in Europe, capable of countering threats beyond the capabilities of the Patriot and IRIS-T systems.