Germany Plans 12 Billion Euro Long-Range Missile Arsenal

The German government is planning a 12 billion euro initiative to build a new arsenal of long-range missiles designed to deter Russia. The program aims to establish the capability to strike military targets, including airfields and command centers, thousands of kilometers behind enemy lines using conventional weapons below the nuclear threshold.

The strategy relies on four pillars. Germany seeks the rapid acquisition of low-cost cruise missiles by 2027, evaluating systems from Covenant Industries and Ukrainian firms Fire Point and an unnamed company. By the end of the decade, Germany intends to procure American Tomahawk cruise missiles and Typhon launchers. Additionally, Germany is partnering with the United Kingdom under the Trinity House Agreement to jointly develop a hypersonic glide weapon and a high-end cruise missile.

This shift represents a departure from Germany's postwar defense posture, moving toward a layered capability mix of mass-produced, interim American, and advanced European systems. While the budget has been submitted for planning, it currently awaits final approval from the German Bundestag.