European firms plan exo-atmospheric interceptor for 2027 test

Five European defense firms, including Destinus, MBDA, Safran, Airbus, and Thales, plan to develop Europe’s first exo-atmospheric interceptor to defend against ballistic missiles, with a 2027 test goal. The Bliksem EXO consortium aims to address a gap in European missile defense by creating a system to intercept threats above the atmosphere, complementing existing NATO and European defenses.