Sweden and Denmark join European Sky Shield Initiative, as NATO aims to strengthen integrated defense

Europe, News February 20, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Sweden and Denmark have joined the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) coordinated by Germany. The ESSI aims to strengthen NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence by streamlining the multinational acquisition and integration of various air defense capabilities by European nations.

The Defence Ministers from allied nations launched the effort on February 15, 2023, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding and associated funding commitments.

The addition of Denmark and Sweden to ESSI makes the total number of participants 17, including 15 Allied countries as well as invitees from Finland and Sweden.

According to NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, “Germany’s leadership through the European Sky Shield Initiative, leveraging already existing NATO cooperation frameworks, is a crucial step to ensure that NATO can effectively defend itself against air and missile threats”.

The NATO statement highlighted that “ESSI’s envisioned multinational acquisition will be conducted through a Rapid Acquisition Track within NATO’s Modular Ground-Based Air Defence High Visibility Project.”

NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence is a critical mission for peacetime, crisis, and conflict, which safeguards and protects the NATO territory, populations, and forces against air or missile threats or attacks.

According to the NATO release, “It is a vital element of NATO’s deterrence and defense, which contributes to the Alliance’s indivisible security and freedom of action, including NATO’s ability to reinforce its deployments and to provide a strategic response.”

*^{German IRIS-T air defense system. (Image Credit: Timm Ziegenthaler)}*

Russia’s growing capabilities, and increasingly diverse and challenging air and missile threats, ranging from unmanned aerial vehicles to sophisticated missile capabilities, such as hypersonic missiles, pushes NATO to strengthen and upgrade its defense capabilities and concepts.

Considering the increasing challenges, NATO has increased efforts to enhance the readiness and responsiveness of its Integrated Air and Missile Defence forces, to ensure that the right capabilities are employed by the Alliance to tackle emerging threats.

Separately on February 15, Ministers from NATO nations, including Finland and Sweden agreed to jointly develop and procure systems to secure NATO’s access to cutting-edge technology. NATO Allies launched three mobility and counter-mobility projects and agreed to further improve Ground-based Air Defence, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defence, and Mobility/ Counter Mobility.