- 8 minutes ago
Germany's military has quietly tested one of the most advanced long-range ballistic missiles ever considered for its arsenal. The launch of Israel's LORA missile system took place in the North Atlantic.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Lora in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Feuer!
00:11This is Germany testing an Israeli ballistic missile.
00:16A test so sensitive that it was kept secret until the very last moment.
00:21It's the Lora missile system being launched in the North Atlantic early on Wednesday.
00:26It's a type of weapon that can travel faster and strike further than anything currently in Germany's arsenal.
00:34This video was released by Germany's Navy.
00:36And this test came just hours after the government in Berlin publicly blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at
00:44Leipzig airport recently.
00:47Why is this launch so important?
00:50Well, because it's part of a much bigger story.
00:52The German government is now preparing a nearly 12 billion euro missile program, according to internal defence documents seen by
01:02Politico.
01:02And that's significant because for decades Germany has been reluctant to invest in long-range strike weapons.
01:09That position seems to be now changing fast.
01:12So what is the Lora, or long-range artillery?
01:16Here are some facts to get you started.
01:18It's a quasi-ballistic missile, meaning it follows a shallow, largely ballistic trajectory while remaining guided during flight.
01:27It can reach supersonic speeds of up to Mach 5 and can be launched within minutes of receiving targeting data.
01:35That means it can strike targets at speeds far beyond conventional cruise missiles.
01:40It has a range of up to 500 kilometres and is a completely containerised weapon system, meaning it's hermetically sealed
01:48inside canister units which fit inside a standard shipping container.
01:53The German Navy chief, Jan Christian Kark, said in a statement,
01:58Our units can successfully deploy the system and its potential range exceeds anything we've seen before.
02:06This test marks a new chapter in deterrence and maritime defence readiness.
02:11I'm now joined by Olaf Boehnke, Managing Director of Rasmussen Global in Germany, the geopolitical advisory firm of former NATO
02:20Secretary-General Anders Foe Rasmussen.
02:23He joins us from Copenhagen.
02:25Olaf, it's great to see you.
02:29Good to see you, Gerard.
02:31Now, Germany's Navy has described this Lora test as a historic milestone.
02:36From your point of view, just explain to us first the significance of this test.
02:43I mean, the historic aspect is not the missile itself.
02:46So the historic aspect is that Germany is entering the realm of long-range precision strike from the sea for
02:54the first time.
02:55So Germany did not really acquire such capabilities so far.
03:01And that allowed it to hold strategically important military targets at risk far beyond the immediate battlefield.
03:08So this is the one reason Germany is kind of beefing up and closing a capacity or capability gap.
03:15Can we just talk about that missile aspect a little bit more?
03:19Germany does not, as you've said there, have ballistic missiles.
03:23But in deterrence terms, how does the capability of this ballistic missile system differ from what Germany already has, particularly
03:32long-range weapons like the Taurus?
03:36Yeah.
03:37I mean, Taurus is the kind of the topic of past month and years now since the Ukraine war started.
03:43It was the only capability Germany possessed in this regard.
03:47So far, Germany was more or less, when it comes to mid-range missiles, completely depending on the U.S.
03:54This is also the reason why we are talking about the Patriot systems all the time.
03:59So we really did not possess such capabilities.
04:03And the Taurus is also, so we have these differentiations between ballistic missiles and cruise missiles.
04:10So ballistic missiles more work like a rocket you throw in the air.
04:14So you throw it very high and then it lands at a very high speed somewhere with a very huge
04:20effect.
04:21While these cruise missiles like the Taurus is kind of an unmanned drone-like rocket, which flies on a very
04:30low altitude.
04:32So below any radars, it's hard to detect it.
04:36It's not as fast as a ballistic missile.
04:40And the challenge comes actually with the detection and actually the moment many allies and adversaries actually detect the missile
04:51like Taurus actually, it already hits the target.
04:55So this was the difference.
04:56And now with these LoRa missiles, for the first time we had a ballistic missile and we did not really
05:04have this from sea.
05:05Of course, otherwise you had this ground-based system in the past and now you have a mobile system, which
05:12you can bring to wherever you need it.
05:14And this is a huge difference in warfighting.
05:18Yeah, that's some really important context.
05:21Let's talk about, I guess, the timing of this LoRa launch.
05:25Germany confirmed this test shortly after German officials publicly blamed Russia for an attempt to drone attack at Leipzig Airport.
05:35I'm just wondering, do you think there was some kind of PR or strategic communications element to when this was
05:43announced?
05:46I think, yes.
05:48So, of course, the planning of such an exercise of the testing, that was something which had prepared a long
05:57time ago.
05:58But, of course, the decision to go public with it in direct connection right the day after the Minister of
06:06Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Interior made this strong announcement how the German government will react to this almost
06:14attack at the Leipzig Airport is not a coincidence in my opinion.
06:18So, I think this is also part of a messaging towards Russia, towards Putin, that, okay, because we had, of
06:28course, a lot of commentaries in the past 24 hours that maybe the reaction of the German government when it
06:35comes to the Leipzig incident was too weak, was not determined enough.
06:41But here, this is for military officials, this is a very strong signal saying, okay, so we are investing in
06:49capabilities and we know also that this is not the only effort the German government is undertaking to beef up
06:58their arsenal.
06:59So, we also know that ground-based systems are also in the planning process of the Federal Armed Forces.
07:08So, therefore, my simple answer would be yes, I definitely see a connection here.
07:14Let's talk about the Russia aspect a bit more and you've just hinted at it there.
07:18We've seen some documents as part of Politico reporting, defence military documents, that Germany is building up a new missile
07:27program or it wants to build up a new missile program to the tune of some 12 billion euros money.
07:33Germany, though it must be said that hasn't yet been approved by the Bundestag, how much of this shift is
07:39being driven by fears of future Russian aggression?
07:45I mean, as we said, in the past, actually, the concentration, the focus of how the German Federal Armed Forces
07:53had been equipped was mainly on defence, was mainly on protection of infrastructure,
07:59always actually for, was designed actually to equip the Bundeswehr for out-of-area missions like Afghanistan and likewise.
08:11So, this now brings us kind of back to a time 30, 40 years ago when deterrence was a major
08:21element of the Cold War.
08:24Of course, you can think about deterrence with a nuclear aspect or without a nuclear aspect and say the non
08:34-nuclear agreement.
08:35So, of course, a nuclear component is not in our range.
08:39So, of course, this is the reason why we have U.S. nuclear weapons still in Germany.
08:44But, of course, on the convention, we can do much more.
08:48But Germany has not did this before.
08:52So, we had a treaty, so the INF Treaty, actually, which was a treaty between the U.S. and the
08:57Soviet Union, and later Russia, actually, prohibited ground-based missile programs in continental Europe.
09:08And Russia violated this and left the treaty.
09:12And that was the reason why we have this lack of capabilities here.
09:17And now, of course, one of the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine is you need this.
09:23You need this for deterrence, but you also need this as a potential option if an adversary is attacking you
09:32with whatever kind of capability that you have an option, actually, to strike back.
09:39And this was one of the reasons why the Ukrainians had been so eager and still are to get the
09:47Tauros missile or the cruise missile from Tauros.
09:50But it is just one element.
09:53And now, a naval-based system is, of course, a huge addition to the deterrence options you would have.
10:02And, of course, it's not limited to this.
10:06So, we have much more different kinds of missiles, as I explained.
10:11So, you have ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and there's more in between.
10:16And now, the German government is really investing a lot.
10:21And that's a significant paradigm shift.
10:23I'd like to talk a little bit more about the historical aspect of German defence policy that you were just
10:30touching on in that answer.
10:33How does where the situation Germany finds itself in now, so this push towards long-range strike capabilities,
10:43how does that fit into what we know here as the Zeitung Wende or turning point in defence policy?
10:51I mean, the influence of the Ukraine war is profound.
10:56So, definitely, until then, so we know that Germany was very cautious when it comes to military means in general.
11:06And, of course, this was also based on this historical attitude in public opinion,
11:13but also amongst policymakers that Germany should better not engage in any kind of military action ever again.
11:18But we, since the Russian attack on Ukraine in 2022, so we realised on a daily basis that war is
11:31coming back to Europe,
11:32and Germany had not a real convincing answer how to counter it.
11:38So, therefore, we have seen that with Olaf Scholz's initiative, a huge, and specifically against this historic backdrop,
11:49a huge paradigm shift had taken place here in Germany.
11:56So, the idea behind it is, of course, not just to protect Germany and the territory of Germany as a
12:06country,
12:06but it's also, of course, an investment into the collective deterrence and collective security of Europe,
12:13specifically, of course, even more so since President Trump made it quite clear that he might not be come to
12:23rescue of Europe no matter what.
12:25So, therefore, of course, this entire conversation also about European sovereignty,
12:31I wouldn't use European autonomy in this regard, in this context, had a...
12:38So, this is a very different conversations we have since the Titanwender announcement,
12:44because now it is serious, and you can see this, or money flow, money goes actually always in this direction.
12:55So, therefore, you can see that this talking of, walking of the talk, actually,
13:03with the unlimited resources of the German government and defense spending is the best proof, actually,
13:10to see that, okay, Germany is really stepping up, maybe to even what the capabilities of France and the UK
13:19and Europe have.
13:20And I think you were referring then to the type of funding that Germany has been able through various changes,
13:28I think, to the constitution to allow for more defense spending.
13:33I just wanted to touch on something that you were saying then,
13:35essentially, that Germany is building these capabilities, not just to defend its own territory,
13:42but really to strengthen NATO's overall deterrence posture.
13:47Yeah, exactly, exactly.
13:50I mean, Germany is increasingly moving from its traditional role of being primarily a consumer of security,
13:57specifically under the umbrella of Europe's deterrence,
14:02to becoming one of Europe's leading providers of security.
14:06And Berlin is participating in a lot of joint European initiatives.
14:13So, it's not just limited to long-range strike capabilities.
14:19We also know there are conversations about drone alliances and many other capabilities.
14:25And Germany, in many cases, is the driving force by now.
14:31This, of course, again, historically speaking, is not an easy issue for many European neighbors.
14:38That's for sure.
14:39But on the other hand, I think it's also a budgetary issue.
14:42I mean, I'm pretty sure that both governments in Paris and London would also love to have the ability,
14:51actually, to beef up the military spending, if it wouldn't be for budgetary constraints they are facing here.
14:59So, therefore, in this regard, the German government is also very eager to embed this in the European context,
15:06also work with European suppliers in joint action.
15:10But it is a lot of what's happening in Europe in terms of building up and ramping up military and
15:19deterrence and defense capabilities
15:21comes these days, actually.
15:23It's driven by Berlin.
15:25Another question on the LoRa system.
15:29This is an Israeli-produced system.
15:31Could there be any controversy in Germany choosing Israel as an arms partner?
15:39Of course.
15:40I mean, as a matter of fact, so these days, so there are only two nations in wider Europe
15:47where you can have battle-proofed military equipment.
15:52It's Ukraine.
15:52And this is one of the reasons why many European tech and defense tech companies are so heavily involved,
16:02also in Ukraine, because it's the only area where you can test your weapons, and Israel.
16:08So, Israel, of course, over the past decades, actually, was also in a constant military conflict.
16:14And so, therefore, that's kind of a proof that works.
16:20When it comes to the political context, of course, it already started that, of course,
16:26you have criticism specifically from the left and radical right that this technology is coming from Israel.
16:36But I think the government is quite straightforward on this, saying, okay, Israel is a long-standing partner,
16:44and this is not linked to the government.
16:47So, this is really about the technology, and whatever helps, actually, is preferred here in this context.
16:53One final question on Russia.
16:56Critics in the European context, when we're talking about long-range missiles,
17:01critics might say that more of these missiles could fuel an arms race that increases tensions with Russia.
17:12What would you respond to that?
17:17Of course, these arguments are well-known, specifically coming from the AfD and the left party in Germany.
17:26I mean, Germany, in a way, was very cautious, as I said, all the times,
17:31and also throughout, even after the Zeitungen announcement,
17:35you could see that both Chancellor Scholz, as well as Chancellor Merz,
17:40had been very hesitant when it comes to the question if they would deliver these Tauros missiles to Ukraine.
17:47I mean, the current Chancellor Merz, as an opposition leader,
17:52made actually the announcement the moment he would take over,
17:56so he would deliver Tauros to Ukraine.
17:58So, until now, he did not, and I think he's quite aware that, of course, it makes a huge difference.
18:04On the other hand, I think we see, specifically within recent days,
18:11that we cannot trust that Russia is keeping the war just within the borders of Ukraine.
18:23So, we are already targets for Russian aggression in this hybrid war scenario.
18:30We have seen plenty of drone flights across Germany in the past three, four years.
18:40We see this increasing number of attacks on critical infrastructure.
18:45So, the question is, do you want to respond from a position of weakness or from a position of strength?
18:50And, of course, the more credible your deterrence is, the more someone, even like President Putin,
18:58will think twice if he really wants to escalate this.
19:01Of course, this needs a lot of investment into military equipment,
19:06which I think everyone would love to rather spend into education and infrastructure and whatsoever.
19:13But, maybe, unfortunately, these times of peace in Europe are over,
19:20and maybe the time between World War II and the end of the Cold War actually was the exemption,
19:27not the new normal.
19:28This is a very hard lesson, hard to learn, but I'm afraid, actually, this is where we are right now.
19:36Sobering point there.
19:37Great speaking with you, Olaf.
19:38We've been speaking with Olaf Bönke, Managing Director of Rasmussen Global in Germany.
19:43Thank you so much.
Comments