Germany Plans €3.4B Tomahawk Missile Purchase

Germany’s Defense Ministry plans to allocate nearly €3.4 billion for US-made Tomahawk cruise missiles and Typhon launchers, according to a report published on Friday, Sept. 11.According to an internal government planning document seen by Politico, the estimate covers the broader procurement and is expected to be considered during preparations for Germany’s 2027 budget.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.The amount could still change before the budget is finalized, and the proposed purchase requires parliamentary approval.Germany’s Defense Ministry declined to comment on the figure, citing the ongoing budget process. However, a ministry spokesperson confirmed that “the procurement of the US Typhon system with Tomahawk cruise missiles remains intended.”The acquisition would provide Germany with its first independently operated, ground-based long-range strike capability and form part of Berlin’s broader effort to deter Russia.Why does Germany want Tomahawk missilesTomahawk cruise missiles manufactured by Raytheon have a reported range of approximately 2,500 kilometers (1,600 miles). They could allow the German military, known as the Bundeswehr, to strike missile launch sites, logistics centers and other military targets far behind enemy lines.The missiles would be fired from Typhon mobile launchers produced by Lockheed Martin. Typhon, officially known as the Strategic Mid-Range Fires System, was developed for the US Army and can launch both Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles. Other Topics of Interest Poland Scrambles Security Chiefs After Russian Strike Near Border With Ukraine On Sept. 13, Russian forces struck Yahodyn railway station near the Polish border, hitting a Kyiv-Warsaw passenger train and prompting Poland to scramble fighter jets. Germany currently has no comparable ground-based long-range strike capability. The planning document reportedly envisages bringing the system into German service by the end of the decade.In 2024, then-US President Joe Biden and then-German Chancellor Olaf Scholz agreed that American forces would begin deploying long-range weapons to Germany in 2026, including US-operated Tomahawks.US President Donald Trump’s administration later canceled the deployment plan.Berlin had separately approached Washington in 2025 about purchasing its own Typhon launchers and Tomahawk missiles. Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz reached an agreement in principle on the acquisition during NATO’s July summit in Ankara, according to POLITICO.Owning and operating the weapons would allow Germany to maintain the capability without relying on a permanently stationed US long-range missile unit.Berlin seeks role for German industryBerlin is also seeking a role for German defense companies in manufacturing and maintaining the weapons.The planning document says the US government has raised “the prospect of industrial cooperation” as part of the procurement. Officials familiar with the negotiations told Politico that the talks include possible co-production and the integration of German companies into the Tomahawk supply chain.No production arrangement or division of work has been agreed upon, however. Washington is also expected to retain control over sensitive US technology and intellectual property.Potential German participation could expand a transatlantic weapons supply chain already struggling with large order backlogs. The US is also under pressure to replenish missile stocks depleted during its war with Iran.NATO members have committed to spending 3.5% of gross domestic product on core defense requirements by 2035, driving further demand for missiles and other weapons.The Tomahawk purchase is only one element of Germany’s long-range weapons buildup. Berlin is also pursuing European-developed systems and modernizing its existing Taurus air-launched cruise missiles. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.