Amidst the growing threat from Russia! Lockheed Martin offers the THAAD system to protect European skies

The American defense giant Lockheed Martin is actively promoting its advanced THAAD missile defense system in European countries amid the growing threat from Russia, Reuters reports, citing an interview with Lockheed Martin President Michael Williamson for the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Focus reports.

Williamson confirms that Lockheed Martin is in talks with potential European buyers for the THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system. According to him, the company sees the greatest growth prospects in markets outside the United States, particularly in Europe, over the next five years. The THAAD system is being offered as an alternative to the Israeli Arrow 3 system, which Germany has already selected for integration into the air defense system “European Sky Shield“.

Interest in modern missile and anti-drone defense systems in Europe has increased sharply after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Governments across the continent, especially in Germany, plan to invest hundreds of billions of euros in modernizing their armed forces.

Recent incidents with Russian drones that entered the airspace of NATO countries, in particular Denmark and Poland, have made this issue relevant. This has intensified competition in the region between leading defense companies such as Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, the British agency writes.

To strengthen its position in Germany, Lockheed Martin has entered into a partnership with the local defense concern Rheinmetall. According to Williamson, this cooperation not only creates jobs in the country, but also opens up access to politicians who make key purchasing decisions.

However, as the media outlet notes, European governments remain wary of over-reliance on American defense technology. An example of this is the recent decision of Denmark, which rejected the proposal for the American Patriot system in favor of the European SAMP/T.

The "Sky Shield" initiative, launched by Germany in 2022, aims to create a common air and missile defense system. More than 20 countries are participating in the project, which envisages the purchase of various air defense complexes in order to reduce costs, increase efficiency and coordination between armies.

The project plans to create a multi-level defense, in which different systems (for example, IRIS-T SLM, Patriot and Arrow 3) will cover the sky at different distances and altitudes.