Germany is pushing forward with a plan worth nearly 12 billion euros to create a new arsenal of long-range missiles, with the aim of strengthening its deterrent against Russia and gaining the ability to strike military targets deep behind enemy lines.
According to internal documents from the German Ministry of Defense cited by Politico, Berlin considers the program a top priority for both Germany and NATO, at a time when European countries are accelerating their rearmament in response to what they perceive as a growing threat from Russia.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The new capabilities will enable the German armed forces to strike command centers, airfields, missile launchers, supply hubs, and other critical infrastructure at distances of hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. Internal documents state that the goal is for Germany to be able to strike “deep behind an adversary’s lines” and to maintain the capability for a conventional response “below the nuclear threshold.”
The overall plan is structured around four pillars.
The first weapons could enter service as early as 2027, while the most advanced systems, which will be developed jointly with the United Kingdom, are scheduled for the middle of the next decade.
The Ministry of Defense estimates that “nearly 12 billion euros” will be required, although funding has not yet been approved. The relevant amounts have been included in the government’s budget planning process and must be approved by the Bundestag.
The German Ministry of Defense did not comment on the specific amounts or programs, limiting itself to noting that the relevant decisions are subject to approval by the federal Parliament.
The first missiles as early as 2027
The fastest-moving part of the program involves the development of a new, low-cost cruise missile, which Germany aims to begin integrating into its forces starting in 2027.
Berlin is considering systems that can be procured in large numbers and brought into service quickly. The documents name three candidate missiles: the Anthem from the U.S.-Israeli startup Covenant Industries, the BARS offered by an unnamed Ukrainian company, and the Flamingo from the Ukrainian firm Fire Point.
Germany is already in negotiations with two of these suppliers, with the goal of receiving missiles for certification within the next year. At the same time, framework agreements are being prepared that will later allow for mass production.
In the documents, this system is described as “cost-effective and, above all, mass-produced” weapon, which can be used in conjunction with much more expensive long-range missiles.
According to Berlin, this choice reflects one of the key lessons of the war in Ukraine: that a large number of cheaper drones and missiles can overwhelm enemy air defenses and enable strikes on critical infrastructure.
The German Ministry of Defense had already pointed out that the ability to strike important targets deep behind enemy lines is now “essential for credible deterrence.”
The Tomahawks will fill the gap
The second pillar of the plan concerns the purchase of American systems.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in early July in the Bundestag that Germany had reached an agreement with the U.S. government, during the NATO summit in Ankara, to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles and deploy them on German soil. “We are closing a significant strategic gap in our defense,” Merz stated, clarifying that Germany would simultaneously develop its own European systems.
According to the documents, Berlin’s goal is to have an initial operational capability by the end of the decade using American Typhon launchers equipped with Tomahawk missiles.
Acquiring the U.S. system will allow Germany to have a proven long-range weapon until the European programs are completed.
Joint weapons with the United Kingdom for targets beyond 2,000 kilometers
The last two pillars of the program are being developed jointly with the United Kingdom.
The two countries are working on a new advanced cruise missile, as well as a hypersonic glide vehicle, as part of the Trinity House agreement they signed last year.
The goal is to achieve initial operational capability by the mid-2030s. The two governments have already announced that the new weapons should be capable of striking targets at ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometers.
This is also the most expensive part of the German plan.
One of the internal documents allocates nearly 9 billion euros for the development and procurement of these weapons, plus an additional 182 million euros for their maintenance.
Another 1.8 billion euros is earmarked for the development and procurement of cruise missiles, with 97 million euros allocated for their maintenance.
The individual amounts total approximately 11 billion euros, while the ministry estimates the total funding requirement at “nearly 12 billion euros.”
A Shift in Doctrine for Berlin
The program marks a fundamental shift in the way Germany approaches deterrence.
Instead of waiting for the development of a single advanced European missile, Berlin aims to create a multi-layered arsenal: cheaper missiles that will be mass-produced and deployed in large numbers, American Tomahawks to immediately fill the gap, and advanced European systems to follow later.
The program is being accelerated as German military leaders warn that Russia could have acquired the capability to attack NATO territory by the end of the decade.
The rationale behind the new doctrine is that, even if deterrence fails, critical Russian military infrastructure should not be considered safe simply because it is located far from the front lines.
Source: Proto Thema
