Air & Missile Defence
The sum of all surface-based air defence systems from across the Alliance form NATO’s Surface-Based Air & Missile Defense (SBAMD) capability, which (together with the airborne capabilities) is a substantial part of NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence System (NATINAMDS).
Since 2010, NATO has a standing mission of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD). GBAD systems together with BMD capable ships and shore-based sites in Europe form NATOs’ resource pool to execute this critical mission. The capability to intercept ballistic missiles is very specific but cannot be isolated from other NATINAMDS tasks in respect to mission complexity and actually available resources.
Featured Publications
Faster Than the Threat
AI-Enabled Decision Advantage for NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence
It begins subtly, much like any other day on duty. Sensor networks deployed along NATO’s Eastern Flank start registering small deviations from expected patterns. At the same time, satellite imagery reveals launchers for advanced missile [...]
Bringing Directed Energy Weapons into Focus
Integrating Emerging Capabilities into NATO Air Defence
For some, directed energy weapons (DEWs) represent the realisation of a ‘Star Wars’ vision of modern conflict, and a timely solution to proliferating air, missile, and drone threats. The reality is that years of research [...]
An MDO Approach to NATO’s Counter-IADS Strategy
Integrating Suppression of Enemy Air Defences and Cyber-Electromagnetic Activities
Russia’s war in Ukraine has shattered long-held assumptions about the ease of achieving air superiority. The conflict has demonstrated that even modern air forces struggle to dominate contested skies when faced with a dense, multilayered [...]
