NATO Needs More Russian Halau Long-range Missiles

The impact of the Russian attack on Ukraine/DOK PHOTO via Instagram @mfa_ukraine

JAKARTA - NATO is said to need more long-range missiles in its arsenal to prevent Russia from attacking Europe as Moscow is expected to increase production of long-range weapons.

The use of an effective Russian long-range missile in its war in Ukraine has assured Western military officials of the importance of the missile to destroy command posts, transportation centers, and missile launchers far behind enemy lines.

"The Russian army is currently bigger than when they started the war in Ukraine," Major General John Rafferty said in an interview with Reuters at a US military base in Wiesbaden, Germany.

"And we know that they will continue to invest in rockets and long-range missiles as well as advanced air defenses. So, the alliance's increased capability is very important," he continued.

The war in Ukraine has shown a large European dependence on the United States to provide long-range missiles, with Kyiv working to strengthen its air defenses.

Rafferty recently completed his duties as commander of the 56th US Army Artillery Command in the German city of Mainz-Kastel, which is preparing to temporarily deploy US long-range missiles in European territory starting in 2026.

In a meeting with US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Monday, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius is expected to try to clarify whether the deployment of such troops, agreed between Berlin and Washington when Joe Biden took office, will resume after Donald Trump returns to office.

The agreement includes system deployments, including the Tomahawk missile with a range of 1,800 km and a Dark Eagle hypersonic weapon that is being developed with a range of about 3,000 km.

Russia has criticized the US long-range missile deployment plan in Germany as a serious threat to its national security.

Russia dismissed concerns that NATO Russia could attack members of the alliance and cited concerns about NATO's expansion as one of the reasons for invading Ukraine by 2022.

EUROPEAN PLAN

Fabian Hoffmann, a doctoral researcher at Oslo University who specializes in missiles, estimates the US provides about 90% of NATO's long-range missile capability.

"The ability to attack long distances is very crucial in modern warfare," he said.

"You really don't want to get stuck in a position like Ukraine (without such a weapon) in the first year (of war). That puts you in a very unfavorable position," he continued.

Realizing this vulnerability, European countries that are members of NATO have agreed to increase the defense budget under Trump's pressure.

Some European countries have their own long-range missiles, but the number and range are limited. US missiles can strike targets at a distance of several thousand km.

European cruise missiles launched from the air, such as the British Storm Shadow, France's Scalp, and Germany's Taurus, have a range of several hundred km.

The Missile de Croisiere Naval (MdCN) launched from France's sea can cover a distance of more than 1,000 km.

All of these missiles were made by European arms manufacturer MBDA, which has branches in the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.

France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Britain and Sweden are now participating in a long-range conventional missile acquisition program launched from land, known as the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA).

As part of the program, Britain and Germany announced in mid-May they would begin developing missiles with a range of more than 2,000 km.