Germany successfully tested an Israeli ballistic missile in the North Atlantic overnight, officials said Wednesday, as Western powers race to bolster long-range defenses against what they see as a growing Russian threat.
The test of what officials said was a LORA missile built by Israel Aerospace Industries came hours after Berlin publicly blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month and ordered measures in response.
Germany does not currently have ballistic missiles, which fly at much higher speeds than the cruise missiles, in its arsenal. The Israeli-built system has a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles), Germany's Defense Ministry said.
Berlin is engaged in a number of multinational collaborations aimed at developing long-range missiles, and also looking at options to buy such weapons.
Navy chief Jan Christian Kaack said the test was a success.
