s Germany finally getting its defenses ready for the threat of war? | DW News

Germany has taken delivery of its first IRIS-T air defense system, as the country tries to rebuild its military capacities after years of cuts.

The IRIS-T will boost NATO's overall air and missile defenses. The new system can block attacks by drones, aircraft and cruise missiles.

Germany has already provided seven IRIS-T batteries to Ukraine. Chancellor Olaf Scholz and defense minister Boris Pistorius were on hand to inaugurate the new system.

Berlin has pushed up defense spending to the 2 percent of gross domestic product target set by NATO this year, after decades of low defense spending.

But it's still unclear whether Germany will maintain the increased funding once its special €100 billion defense fund runs out.