The Swiss Federal Intelligence Service has assessed that NATO's planned antimissile framework will by 2018 be capable of guarding all of Europe from any Iranian ballistic missile offensive, the Swiss daily Neue Zuercher Zeitung reported on Sunday.
The document -- provided without authorization to the newspaper Tages-Anzeiger -- apparently calls for Berne to consider in the near future various alternatives for potentially providing monetary support for operation of the alliance defensive framework.
The Federal Intelligence Service has reported the record's release and the disclosure of a second document to law enforcement, agency spokesman Felix Endrich said. He described the antimissile statement as one component of a "weekly situation report" by the service.
Russia by this decade's end would face a significant risk from U.S. antimissile equipment now scheduled to be fielded in Europe as part of the NATO plan, a new edition of Versiya quoted Russian Duma defense panel head Vladimir Komoedov as saying.
Moscow objects to U.S. plans to place increasingly sophisticated land- and sea-based missile interceptors around Europe through 2020 in support of the evolving NATO shield. Russia fears the weapons would secretly target its strategic nuclear force, though they are ostensibly intended to counter potential missile threats from the Middle East.\
New Italian defense technology could assume a role in defending the country from shorter-range ballistic missiles in addition to cruise missiles and military aerial assaults, Defense News reported last week.
Italian army officials are set next March to attend trials in France of the SAMP/T Aster 30 air-defense system's ability to hit nonstrategic ballistic missiles. The equipment's possible application against such armaments was assessed during French air force exercises conducted in 2010 and 2011 against Black Sparrow mock enemy projectiles.
"It is an extra capability to have, and one that features in NATO’s new strategy,” said Col. Carlo Zantilli, who heads the Italian army's 4th Air Defense Regiment. Zantilli's unit is due to begin preliminary use of the SAMP/T Aster 30 apparatus before 2013, and to achieve complete activation of the gear before 2014.
“It is the only capability of this kind that Italy has, and we would like to be involved in NATO’s ballistic missile defense program, as do the French,” the officer stated.
The Italian army indicated the interceptors can fly nearly 75 miles and shoot down ballistic missiles with maximum flight distances of roughly 800 miles. The technology would supplant Italy's Hawk weaponry.
“Up until now the Italian air force has taken care of high-altitude missile defense, the army has looked after medium altitude and the navy has protected its fleet, but with NATO now asking for cities to be defended from ballistic missiles, things are evolving,” said an insider with Italy's manufacturing sector. “In Italy, it looks like the army is taking the initiative.”
Five SAMP/T Aster 30 firing units are slated for placement within the army's Mantua regiment, and a model slated for deployment at Sabaudia would aid in preparing personnel. The arms firm MBDA has provided two of the units to date, and three more are scheduled for delivery next year.
NATO is anticipated to award $65 million in deals between January and June for antiballistic missile equipment and services, Defense News reported on Friday.
Font: NTI
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