Since its launch in August 2022 by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the European SkyShield Initiative, or ESSI, has established itself as a unifying and powerful pact, to bring about an efficient and homogeneous European air defense.
More than fifteen countries had already announced their membership of the ESSI in August 2022. There are now 22, while Greece, Turkey and Switzerland recently undertook to join. Several European countries, however, have not signed up to it. This is particularly the case for France and Italy.
Indeed, the ESSI, as designed by Berlin, only integrates 3 complementary anti-aircraft systems: the anti-ballistic Arrow 3, the long-range Patriot PAC, and the medium-range IRIS-T SLM. The other European systems were therefore excluded, NASAMS, CAMM, Mica VL and above all, Aster, competitors of the Patriot as well as the German IRIS-T SLM/SLX.
Summary
Poland announces intention to join the European SkyShield Initiative
Among the European countries that have so far resisted the ESSI surge, Poland played a central and determining role. Although the country does not have its own industrial and technological solution in the field of medium and long-range anti-aircraft systems, it will have, in the years to come, a very powerful air defense.
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