Germany’s navy successfully completed a test of the LORA ballistic missile, manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries, the German newspaper Bild reported Wednesday. The missile was launched from a German warship in the North Atlantic, and following the successful test, the navy announced it will advance plans to acquire the system.
Two German warships were deployed to an area between Ireland and Iceland for the test. Preparations were kept largely secret, though a notice to shipping and air traffic in the area was published about 45 days in advance. According to reports in Germany, the system tested is capable of hitting targets at a range of approximately 500 kilometers.
The commander of the German navy, Rear Admiral Jan Christian Kaack, described the test as a milestone and said Germany “made naval history.” According to him, the system can be successfully operated from German ships, and its possible range “exceeds anything we have known until now.” He added that this represents a new chapter in Germany’s deterrence capability and defensive preparedness, as well as that of its allies at sea.
LORA, which stands for Long Range Artillery, is a precision ballistic strike system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, designed to hit high-value targets deep in enemy territory and can be launched from naval platforms as well. In previous tests, Israel Aerospace Industries reported accuracy of approximately 10 meters or better.
According to Reuters, bringing LORA into service would represent a major leap for Germany, which currently does not possess operational ballistic missiles of this type. The test was conducted against the backdrop of accelerated German rearmament and growing concern in Berlin about the Russian threat. At the same time, Germany is also advancing other long-range strike capabilities and upgrading the Taurus cruise missiles in its possession.
The move could further deepen defense cooperation between Israel and Germany. Berlin has already purchased the Arrow 3 defense system from Israel Aerospace Industries, and in January of this year the company announced an expansion of the deal worth approximately $3.1 billion, bringing the total value of the Arrow 3 deal with Germany to more than $6.5 billion.