Raketenabwehr in Europa

This book is a completely revised and updated version of the study entitled “Raketenabwehr in Europa” (“Missile Defence in Europe”), which was compiled by the work group IFAR from the Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg on behalf of the Academy of Sciences and Humanities in Hamburg.
It examines the goals and the technical nature of US missile defence plans in Europe, beginning with those of the Bush administration and stretching to their realignment as a result of President Obama’s policies, NATO’s involvement since 2010 and the recent tensions between Western states and Russia. The study not only focuses on analysing the current threat posed by ballistic missiles, the controversy surrounding the need for missile defence systems in Europe and their technological feasibility, but also how they conflict with Russia’s interests, their possible repercussions on Europe’s security system and nuclear arms control.