The Secretary of Defense, Lloyd J. Austin III, said in a press conference with the Slovakian Minister of Defense Jaroslav Nad, that the United States and NATO will consider providing equitable replacement systems (such as missile defense systems) that are interoperable across the alliance to any NATO nations that transfer weapons to support the defense of Ukraine against further Russian attacks. This would be a strategic win-win to get Ukraine systems they can use right now, unburdening NATO countries of their antiquated Russian systems, and eventually replacing them with US and other systems which are interoperable across NATO. This will help fill the gaps and seams which currently across European Missile Defense. Yesterday, similar to Poland’s offer a week ago, Slovakia agreed to provide its S-300 air defense system and MiG-29s to Ukraine under the conditions that it receives appropriate replacements over time.

Additionally, the US State Department did approve the potential sale to the United Kingdom of $700 million in U.S. built missile defense systems that include: a Ballistic Missile Defense Radar (BMDR) and two Command and Control Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) user nodes along with the relevant network capability and equipment. Coincidentally, this offer comes directly after the United Kingdom announced it will be sending its Sky Sabre medium-range air-defense system with 100 personnel to Poland in an effort to provide an expanded missile defense capability on NATO’s eastern flank. This deployment will provide a layer of missile defense to NATO troops, C2 nodes, logistics, and other assets deemed critical by the Joint Forces Commander/Supreme Allied Commander, General Wolters. While providing this defensive capability, the Sky Sabre will remain under the control of the United Kingdom while stationed in Poland for its deployment.

These efforts to bolster NATO’s integrated air and missile defense mission serve to increase system interoperability and create a significant and cost-effective advantage in the defense systems within NATO.

Back in the U.S., a THAAD system successfully conducted a test launch using the Patriot’s PAC-3 MSE interceptor last week. The ability to remotely fire Patriot missiles using THAAD increases the battlespace for integrated air and missile defense. As an old saying goes, never waste a crisis, and what better time than now to deploy the THAAD weapons system to Eastern Europe coupled with Patriot Pac-3 MSE launchers.

This major milestone would bring advantages to our allies in-depth and breadth of layered missile defense to use the best shooters with the best sensors amongst THAAD and Patriot radars and interceptors. Leveraging the deployment of a THAAD battery(s), already deployed Patriot systems in Poland and Slovakia, the UK Sky Sabre, Aegis Afloat capability from Rota, Spain, 5th Generation aircraft, and a number of other systems’ sensors and shooters already integrated into European Command’s networked architecture would provide NATO an advantage while exponentially increasing the defense’s area coverage and serve to further deter and defend against Russia.

Increased collaboration and weapons systems interoperability between NATO members will be required to maintain a comprehensive, layered integrated air and missile defense mission across Europe. The ability to backfill or replace necessary air and missile defense systems that are transferred to Ukraine also serves as a tremendous first step in the Missile Defense of every inch of NATO territory.

We must note:

“In order to control the skies, you have to shut down the air defenses… They’re on the ground. And some of those air defense systems are in Russia. And so, again, there’s no easy or simple way to do this. … A no-fly zone means that you’re in a conflict with Russia. So from a U.S. perspective … our position remains that we’re not going to do that.”

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, Bratislava, Slovakia, March 17, 2022