NATO member states have just 5% of the air-defense systems required to repel a significant attack in Eastern Europe, according to an internal assessment by the military bloc.
A NATO diplomat told the Financial Times on Wednesday that the shortage of such systems was “one of the biggest holes we have,” and a situation that members of the US-led military organization “can’t deny.”
One of the reasons for the shortage is that Western-designed anti-aircraft weapons are expensive and slow to manufacture, the British newspaper reported. Advances in drone technology are also making long-range strike capability more affordable. This has been seen in the Ukraine conflict, with both sides using relatively cheap unmanned aircraft to attack targets far from the front line.
NATO’s apparent vulnerability in Europe is being exacerbated by disagreements among EU member states about how to address the air-defense deficiency. Germany and France have proposed competing plans, while Poland and Greece are calling for an EU-wide integrated system.
Hellbound and Down 