- In February 2019, the United States formally announced its withdrawal from the INF Treaty, citing continued violations by Russia.
- The ELSA project, which emerged in response to the challenges of the war in Ukraine, aims to develop cruise missiles with a range of 1,000 to 2,000 kilometers.
- The ELSA project promotes an equitable division of costs and resources between France, Germany, Poland and Italy, aiming to strengthen Europe’s collective security.
The recent European initiative known as ELSA, or European Long-Range Strike Approach, represents a milestone in military cooperation between the countries of the European Union.
Developed in response to growing international threats, this project brings together France, Germany, Poland and Italy in a joint effort to create a long-range missile system.
Through ELSA, these countries hope to fill gaps in their defenses and strengthen the collective security of the continent.
The History of the “Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty” and Its Collapse
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), signed in 1987 between the United States and the Soviet Union, was a landmark in reducing nuclear tensions during the Cold War.
This treaty eliminated all ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, significantly reducing the threat of short-range nuclear strikes in Europe.
After the end of the Cold War, there was an optimistic expectation that Russia and the West could build a cooperative and peaceful relationship. However, over the decades, this hope has been diminished by a series of events and policies that have undermined mutual trust.
As a result, in February 2019, the United States formally announced its withdrawal from the INF Treaty, citing Russia’s continued violations on Ukrainian territory.
Therefore, the creation of ELSA is directly related to the collapse of the INF Treaty, with the aim of filling the gap left by the lack of arms control agreements, especially on long-range missiles.
The Trump administration stated that it could not remain in the treaty while Russia continued to develop and deploy missiles that violated the terms of the agreement.
Russia, in turn, denied the accusations and announced its withdrawal from the treaty in response, marking the official end of one of the pillars of nuclear arms control in the post-Cold War era, leaving the door open for the eventual rearmament of these countries.
What is the New French, German, Polish and Italian Military Project Called ELSA?
The ELSA project aims to develop a cruise missile with a range of between 1,000 and 2,000 kilometers, capable of hitting targets with high precision and surviving enemy air defenses.
This joint effort not only strengthens Europe’s defense capabilities, but also promotes industrial and military integration among participating countries, reflecting one of the fundamental principles of the European Union: cooperation to achieve greater efficiency and resource savings.
The project emerged as a direct response to the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine. During the conflict, Russia demonstrated its ability to use long- and intermediate-range missiles with devastating effectiveness.
Faced with this reality, Europe recognized its own vulnerability and the urgent need to strengthen its defenses.
How Does ELSA Promote Greater Military Cooperation Among European Union Members?
In recent years, Europe has faced an increasingly complex security landscape, driving the need for close collaboration. Initiatives such as the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and the European Defense Fund have already laid a solid foundation for collaborative projects.
ELSA, however, takes this cooperation to a new level, demonstrating that European countries are willing to join forces to face common threats in an effective and coordinated manner.
PESCO, launched in 2017, is a significant effort to strengthen defence collaboration between EU member states. It aims to facilitate joint projects in areas such as logistics, intelligence, cybersecurity and military mobility.
Through PESCO, participating countries have committed to increasing their defence budgets and investing in shared strategic capabilities.
This framework enables European nations to jointly develop military capabilities that would be inaccessible individually, promoting interoperability and operational readiness.
The European Defence Fund (EDF), established in 2021, complements these efforts by providing funding for research and development of new defence technologies.
The EDF encourages innovation and competitiveness in the European defence industry by fostering collaboration between companies and research institutes from different countries. This fund plays a crucial role in reducing duplication of effort and strengthening Europe’s defence technological and industrial base.
ELSA, in particular, stands out as an initiative that goes beyond traditional collaborations. By focusing on the joint development of long-range missiles, ELSA directly addresses one of the most critical gaps in European defences.
Furthermore, ELSA promotes an equitable sharing of costs and resources, relieving financial pressure on individual countries.
The development of advanced weapons systems is extremely expensive and complex, requiring a lot of resources in terms of research, development and production.
Through this project, participating countries can share these costs and benefit from each other’s industrial and technological capabilities.
What are the Economic and Strategic Benefits of ELSA for Europe?
The economic impact of the ELSA project cannot be ignored. The large-scale cooperation between European countries generates economic benefits, including job creation, stimulation of the local economy and the development of new business opportunities.
The production of long-range missiles involves a complex supply chain, ranging from research and development to manufacturing and maintenance. This results in the creation of thousands of highly skilled jobs.
In addition, the technological innovation driven by the ELSA project could have applications beyond the defence sector. Technologies developed for missiles, such as advanced navigation systems, resistant materials and cutting-edge production techniques, could be adapted for use in other industries, such as aerospace, automotive and telecommunications.
The project also contributes to Europe’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness. In an increasingly multipolar world, where geopolitical tensions are on the rise, the ability to independently develop and produce advanced defence systems is essential, to avoid European defence being overly dependent on external allies.
Furthermore, in addition to meeting European defense needs, the weapons systems developed under ELSA also have the potential to be exported to other countries.
What are the Controversies and Future Prospects for the European Long-Range Strike Approach?
The future of ELSA and European defense in general is complex. The joint development of long-range missiles is only one part of a larger plan to strengthen Europe’s security.
However, this initiative also carries great risks of increased military tension and potential armed conflict. With the collapse of the post-Cold War order, countries are rapidly rearming, signaling a return to an era of arms competition.
In an environment where states seek to maximize their security, the result may be an arms race where every defensive action is seen as a provocation by the adversary. In other words, every defensive action by one country may be seen as a provocation by the other, resulting in a vicious cycle of arms buildup and tensions, a fact explained in “game theory”.
Thus, rather than ensuring peace, this dynamic could make conflicts more likely. Unfortunately, the current path points to increased tensions and the possibility of armed conflict, rather than a diplomatic solution.