Berlin Security Conference 2021: MBDA, IAI sign ground-based air defence agreement for Germany

MBDA and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have concluded a framework agreement for co-operation on ground-based air-defence systems for Germany.

Under the agreement, which was announced on 24 November at the Berlin Security Conference 2021, both companies will explore offering joint solutions in accordance with the needs of the German armed forces.

“Ground-based air defence is becoming increasingly important due to the high and growing number of threats directly affecting Germany's security,” the companies said in a joint statement. “Therefore, the co-operation framework may cover all areas of ground-based air defence. The experience and synergies of both companies can enable the development of joint and effective system solutions across the entire spectrum of activity.”

Germany has some expertise in the field of ground-based air defence, in the upper- and mid-tier, and in the lower-tier Nah-und Nächstbereichsschutz (NNbS) very-short-range air defence (VSHORAD) programme. While the newly announced agreement does not refer to any particular requirement, MBDA Head of Sales and Marketing, Guido Brendler told Janes at the BSC 2021 that VSHORAD and counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UASs) are very much the focus right now of not just the German government, but of the wider world also. “C-UAS is needed in every country right now, let's face it”, he said.