Ireland may join European ‘Iron Dome’ missile defence system

Ireland may join a planned international missile defence system, which has been dubbed “a European Iron Dome”, under plans being considered by officials.

The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is aimed at significantly upgrading the air and missile defences of European countries. Polish prime minister Donald Tusk recently likened it to the Iron Dome, the high-tech anti-missile system employed by Israel.

Germany established the ESSI in 2022 in response to Russia’s devastating long-range missile attacks on Ukranian infrastructure. It will allow countries to jointly procure advanced air defence systems and co-ordinate their use.

The possibility of Ireland joining the ESSI is one option being considered by a joint civil and military team of Irish defence planners. It is one of several proposals aimed at dramatically improving Ireland’s negligible air defences.

The Defence Forces operate a number of out-of-date ground-to-air missile units and anti-aircraft guns which are of limited use against modern threats. Crucially, Ireland also lacks a primary radar system capable of detecting airborne threats.

Sources said the work of the civil-military group is at a very early stage and that the current focus is on procuring a military radar system, rather than joining any international air defence system.

However, membership of the ESSI is one option being considered as part of long-term planning, sources said.

“Department officials are considering a range of European developments regarding air and missile defence while focusing on developing Ireland’s own capabilities in this area,” a Department of Defence spokesperson said.

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Ireland has not yet been invited to participate in the initiative. Any invitation “will be examined in full cognisance of Ireland’s national policy in this area”, the Department said.

Any decision to join the ESSI is likely to be highly controversial, given the State’s position of “military neutrality”, which is based on non-membership of common defence organisations such as Nato.

Sources point out that Switzerland and Malta, both neutral countries, have recently signed up to the ESSI and that the system is intended to be defensive in nature. Any decisions on the use of the system would remain with national governments.