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.