北大西洋公约组织的防空系统,除了像“吹管”(Blowpipe)防空导弹和“毒刺”(Stinger)地空导弹等自卫武器外,都是依赖于雷达的。但是从近期或中期来看这些雷达的性能可能降低到使北约组织的防空系统最终变得毫无效用。防空是北约组织唯一的薄弱环节。没有有效的防空,北约组织部队就将陷于严重的不利地位,以致似乎不可能实现可信的常规防御。防空系统中的雷达具有预警、目标截获跟踪、导弹控制和敌我认别等功能。但所有雷达和北约机截预警统统对下列5种威胁中某一种或几种威胁是难以对付的: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization air defense systems rely on radar other than self-defense weapons such as Blowpipe and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. However, the performance of these radars may be reduced in near term or in the medium term to eventually rendering NATO air defense systems useless. Air defense is the only weak link in NATO. Without effective air defense, NATO forces will be in a serious disadvantage, so that it seems unlikely that credible conventional defenses will be achieved. Radar in air defense systems has such functions as early warning, target interception tracking, missile control and enemy / me identification. However, all radar and Nato machine-start warnings are unmanageable for one or more of the following five threats: