Europe turns to Israeli air defenses amid rising Russian drone incursions

European nations are increasingly acquiring Israeli air defense systems to counter a growing threat of foreign drone incursions into their airspace. A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London documented 144 breaches of European airspace by foreign drones and unmanned aerial vehicles between August 2024 and February 2026.

These incursions violated the air sovereignty of 12 countries, repeatedly forcing major airports to close and disrupting military operations. The drones also flew over sensitive military installations, including nuclear weapons sites and Germany's first Arrow-3 battery. The IISS report estimates that the vast majority of these incidents involved Russian platforms launched from ships, aiming to expose response times and capabilities of Europe's air defense network.

Beyond intelligence gathering, these operations sought to map critical infrastructure, such as nuclear facilities and logistical hubs supporting Ukraine. This included bases where Ukrainian troops train on advanced systems like the Patriot air defense system and Abrams tanks. The psychological impact of these repeated incursions is also significant, intended to undermine public confidence in governments' ability to ensure security.

In response, several European countries have turned to Israeli-made air defense solutions. Germany has deployed the Arrow-3 system, while Slovakia and Cyprus have reportedly acquired the Barak-8. Romania and the Czech Republic have purchased Rafael's SPYDER system, and Finland procured David's Sling. Greece is also nearing approval for a substantial procurement deal that could include Barak MX, David's Sling, and SPYDER systems. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has also introduced a new soft-kill defense system designed to counter aerial threats by disrupting their navigation systems.