Five European defense companies signed a Letter of Intent on 14 July 2026 in Paris to establish the Bliksem EXO Consortium, marking the sector’s first initiative to develop a sovereign exo-atmospheric interceptor against medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles[1][2]. Led by Destinus and including MBDA Deutschland, Safran Electronics & Defense, Airbus Defence and Space, and Thales, the partnership targets midcourse-phase threats outside Earth’s atmosphere using a kinetic hit-to-kill mechanism without explosive charge[1][5]. Joint engineering work begins August 2026, with a planned space test of the kill vehicle in 2027, while a binding consortium agreement is expected within three months[1][3]. This upper-layer capability complements existing lower-altitude systems and addresses strategic gaps highlighted by threats like the Oreshnik-class, enhancing European strategic autonomy[2][4].