The defense and space division of Airbus, together with Destinus, MBDA Deutschland, Safran Electronics & Defense, and Thales, have signed a letter of intent (LOI) this Tuesday to launch the Bliksem EXO consortium, a multinational European industrial alliance focused on the development, certification, series production, and technical support of Bliksem EXO.
The signing of the agreement took place during the inaugural meeting of the anti-ballistic coalition held at the headquarters of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, in an event attended by the Prime Minister of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, as detailed by Airbus in a statement.
Bliksem EXO is envisioned as a sovereign European system for exo-atmospheric interception against medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles, including Oreshnik-class systems equipped with separable and maneuverable reentry vehicles.
Reinforcement of the European Missile Defense Architecture
The system is designed to cover the upper layer of missile defense: detecting, tracking, and neutralizing medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles (MRBM/IRBM) in their mid-course phase, outside the atmosphere, through a direct kinetic impact of the 'hit-to-kill' type, without the need for an explosive warhead. This function is intended to complement, not replace, existing or planned European capabilities for the lower layer.
Collectively, these capabilities will allow for the articulation of a layered European missile defense: terminal and theater systems in the lower part, and Bliksem EXO operating above the atmosphere. The program has been conceived to ensure full interoperability with NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) and to reinforce the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), covering the currently absent upper layer.
In the division of roles within the consortium, Destinus assumes leadership and the role of prime contractor, responsible for the integration of the system and the exo-atmospheric kill vehicle (EKV); the German company MBDA is developing the interceptor's propulsion, launcher, and canister; Safran is responsible for the seeker and the EKV's guidance, navigation, and control systems; Airbus is in charge of the command, control, and combat management (BMC4I) capabilities; and the French company Thales is providing the radar and sensor chain, from early warning to fire control.
Lessons from Ukraine and Next Program Milestones
The development will be supported by Ukraine's operational experience against massive air and missile attacks during the system's design, testing, and evaluation phases, always within current export control, security, and governmental regulations. This will allow Bliksem EXO to be "not only a next-generation capability, but also one designed for the realities of modern warfare."
According to the letter of intent, the companies plan to close a binding consortium agreement within a maximum of three months from signing. Joint engineering work within the alliance will begin in August, and the consortium has scheduled a space test of the EKV in 2027.
The document reflects that the provisions are "in good faith by the parties and do not create any obligation to acquire, supply, or finance the system." All activities will be subject to national and European export control regulations, security requirements, intellectual property agreements, and applicable governmental procedures.
The Chief Executive Officer of Airbus Defence and Space, Michael Schoellhorn, has emphasized that this system will be a "crucial complement to existing air and missile defense in Europe."
"By contributing our command and control and combat management system, we ensure proven interoperability and scalability with NATO's Integrated Air and Missile Defence, the ESSI initiative, and other current air and missile defense programs," he added.
For his part, the Executive Vice President of Land and Air Systems at Thales, Hervé Dammann, has remarked that, in the face of "increasingly complex ballistic threats, everything begins with the sensor chain: detecting, tracking, and discriminating targets at extreme distances." "Thales provides this fundamental backbone of Bliksem EXO," he concluded.