European Territories Would Benefit from Golden Dome Missile Defense, According to American Experts
A Missile Defense Shield for Europe? 🛡️ 🇺🇸 🇪🇺
The nifty sh*t unleashed by missiles overhead is a scary prospect for both the US and Europe, as rogue nations like Iran and North Korea, and heavyweights like China and Russia, are cooking up some next-level threat because, well, why not?
That's where Donald Trump's Golden Dome plan comes in. This potential missile defense program would protect the US from those ballistic fireworks before they touch the ground, but with a hefty price tag that even America's wallet quivers at (been there, done that).
But the US isn't the only continent that needs protection. Military experts stateside argue that Europe's time has come for a missile defense upgrade, too.
"Great powers like China and Russia are beefing up their long-range strike capabilities, creating a complex threat we need to know how to tackle," explains Patrycja Bazylczyk, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies' Missile Defense Project (CSIS).
"That's why Europe needs to beef up its missile defense system," she adds.
The idea isn't far-fetched, either. William R. Forstchen, a military tech researcher at Montreat College, North Carolina, puts it bluntly: "It's a no-brainer. We need a new strategic defense system. And so does Europe."
Foreign matters like an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) missile strike are on Forstchen's radar (pun intended). This type of missile, as he explains, "creates a powerful electromagnetic field that can fry all sorts of electronic equipment". In particular, he worries that an EMP attack, followed by a chain reaction of deadly consequences, could potentially wipe out the entire power grid of Western Europe (say it ain't so!).
However, Europe's defense challenges aren't just technological. In a potential large-scale conflict with Russia, missile threats would be critical, yet defense policy has long been the Step-sibling of European defense policy (seriously, they don't get enough love). Most countries lack sufficient interceptors to fend off massive attacks, and many have handed over precious batteries to Ukraine in support.
Things are looking a little brighter–or should we say a bit more missile-defense friendly? Recently, European countries have taken notice and are teaming up to form initiatives like the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI). But it's a long road ahead, with strategic decisions to be made and costs to be covered. Will the proposed Golden Dome make Europe shine bright against potential missile threats, or will it simply be a gilded cross to bear? Only time will tell.
Related
- EMP: The Silent Killer
- Missile Defense 101: The Basics
- The Best Laid Plans: Understanding Donald Trump's Proposed Missile Defense System
- Missile defense
- Defence
- Donald Trump
Europe's increasing vulnerability to war-and-conflicts, particularly from powers like China and Russia, has sparked discussions about the need for a missile defense upgrade in the continent. This is in line with the arguments made by military experts in the United States, who believe that Europe requires a stronger missile defense system, given the advancements in long-range strike capabilities by these nations.
The ongoing development and potential threat of Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) missile strikes, which have the capability to disrupt electronic equipment, also forms part of the general-news and political discourse pertaining to Europe's defense. As a result, initiatives like the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) have been proposed to address these challenges, demonstrating a growing awareness and response to the need for enhanced missile defense in Europe.
