The agreement, which was signed on the sidelines of Washington’s NATO summit, is anticipated to result in a collaborative missile initiative; at its center will be the development of a missile with a range exceeding 500 kilometers.

“The goal is to establish cooperation in the development of a key deep-strike capability, and in the future joint projects on specific solutions, which will allow us to close gaps, reduce costs, and shorten lead times,” the Polish Defense Ministry wrote on social media.

Other projects

The European Union has also propelled joint missile development through initiatives under the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and the European Defence Fund (EDF).

Projects such as the EU Beyond Line Of Sight (BLOS) Land Battlefield Missile Systems have sought to develop the EU’s "next-generation medium-range BLOS Land Battlefield missile systems family," according to PESCO’s website.

Similarly, the Future Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (FSRM) will develop concepts and operational requirements for a Short-Range Air-to-Air missile (SRAAM) to counter modern 5th-generation and future 6th-generation combat aircraft.

Furthermore, the EDF, with a budget of almost €8 billion from 2021 to 2027, will support collaborative defense research and capability development across critical areas such as cyber defense and naval combat.

These efforts show the EU's shift towards enhancing collective defense capabilities and promoting technological development and cooperation among member states and industry partners.