Germany proposes creating new joint air defense system in Europe

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Monday proposed creating a new joint air defense system in Europe against growing threats from adversaries.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Germany has decided to boost its air defense capabilities, and wants to work with its EU partners to develop a broader system.

“In Europe, we have a serious backlog in terms of air defense, against threats from air and space,” he said, in a keynote speech at the Charles University in Prague.

“As Germany, we’ll be investing very significantly in our air defense in the coming years, and all of these will be deployable within the NATO framework. We’ll develop this in a way which would be open to participation of our European neighbors,” he added.

Scholz named the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Scandinavian countries among Germany's possible partners for the new European air defense system.

“If we jointly develop an air defense system in Europe, it will not only be more efficient and cost-effective. It would also be a security gain for Europe as a whole, and an outstanding example of strengthening the European pillar within NATO,” he stressed.