Europe Targets Russia With “Odin’s Eye"—New Missile Warning System to Watch the Skies

Germany and France have agreed to jointly develop a new missile early-warning system for Europe, combining ground-based and space-based components.

The system is expected to become a core element of Europe’s missile defense architecture, although previous joint defense initiatives between the two countries have struggled to deliver results.

According to Defense Express on September 1, the agreement was formalized on August 29 within the framework of the European Security and Defense Union. The system will feature two components: ground-based over-the-horizon radars and a satellite constellation.

The radar segment will include large-scale installations capable of detecting ballistic missile launches at ranges of several thousand kilometers. Such capabilities are already in use by Russia through its “Voronezh” radar series, some of which were successfully targeted by Ukrainian forces.

The satellite component is expected to be built around the ODIN’S EYE project—a European initiative aimed at developing space-based missile early-warning capabilities.

Originally launched in 2021 with €7.5 million in European Union (EU) funding for preliminary research, the project received a further €90 million investment from the European Union in 2023. It involves 38 companies across 14 countries, including Thales Alenia Space, ArianeGroup, and Leonardo, under the leadership of Germany’s OHB System AG.

The ODIN’S EYE constellation will reportedly consist of satellites equipped with infrared sensors to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missile launches, similar to the US Resilient Missile Warning and Tracking (RMWT) program.

Missile early-warning systems serve as the foundation of any functional missile defense shield. Their role is to detect threats at the earliest possible stage, trigger countermeasures—such as Germany’s planned use of Israel’s Arrow 3 system—and activate civil defense alerts.

While the name “ODIN’S EYE” is an acronym derived from Multinational Development Initiative for a Space-Based Missile Early-Warning Architecture, it also reflects the system’s surveillance purpose.

However, the announcement comes amid skepticism over Franco-German defense collaboration. Two major programs—the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) tank and the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) sixth-generation fighter—have been repeatedly delayed or derailed by conflicting national priorities.

MGCS took over six years merely to establish a development consortium, while Germany has since launched a competing tank project with 11 other countries, excluding France. FCAS has faced similar challenges, with France reportedly prioritizing its domestic defense industry.

As Defense Express notes, the proposed missile warning system may rely less on joint hardware development and more on information-sharing between national assets within a unified European framework.

Ground-based radars would still need to be deployed near Russia’s borders to provide early detection, making cooperation with eastern EU members essential. For now, the project appears to hinge on close coordination within the European Union, rather than full integration of systems.

Earlier in August, Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb—using low-cost drones to strike Russian nuclear-capable bombers—prompted the US to rethink its $175B “Golden Dome” missile defense strategy. The attack exposed vulnerabilities to short-range, unmanned systems that traditional defenses fail to detect, forcing a shift toward layered, cost-effective protection against both high-end missiles and mass drone threats.

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