Suspected russian drones overflew Arrow 3 missile defense radar at 100m altitude two days before deployment, evading troops

cross-posted from : https://sh.itjust.works/post/53141995

Germany back in 2023 signed a contract with Israeli company Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for supplying Arrow 3 missile defense systems worth $3.5 billion. Already on December 1, 2026, at an airbase near Annaburg city in Saxony-Anhalt, the system was deployed and reached initial combat readiness.

However, it turned out that two days before official deployment, three unknown drones flew over this system. Moreover, Defense Romania noted that they flew at approximately 100 meters altitude directly over the radar station from Arrow 3 composition.

G27P assault rifles were used for this, equipped with Israeli Smash X4 smart sights, which have recently been actively promoted as a anti-drone solution. However, they failed to shoot down the unmanned aircraft, which then disappeared from the scene.

Later, German counterintelligence and military police classified this incident as an act of deliberate espionage. Defense Express adds that despite all importance of this system which, besides costing over $3.5 billion, is nearly Europe’s only defense against russian Oreshnik and intercontinental ballistic missiles Germany couldn’t protect it from three drones flying directly over it.

  • Mika@piefed.caEnglish
    0·
    4 months ago

    I wonder if there is a single country in Europe ready to receive the amount of Shahed drones Ukraine receives almost daily. All those systems vs oreshnik aren’t worth shit if you can’t down 300 drones that come with one oreshnik too.

    • Ooops@feddit.orgEnglish
      0·
      4 months ago

      I wonder if there is a single country in Europe ready to receive the amount of Shahed drones Ukraine receives almost daily.

      Yes, all of them in fact. It’s called deterrence.

      Nobody is building systems to constanty destroy hundreds of drones each day. Just like no one (but a few very persistent morons) builds walls to keep attackers away. The actual protection is the consequences for the attacker. Guess what Ukraine would pick between ten thousands of anti-air systems (the amount you would need to protect an actual country, not just some points of strategic interest) and EU-/NATO-membership.