Germany is advancing an ambitious €12 billion initiative to build a new long-range missile arsenal, designed primarily to deter potential aggression from Russia and expand its ability to strike military targets far behind enemy front lines. According to internal documents from the German Ministry of Defence cited by Politico, the program is a top national priority—and a key NATO objective—as European nations accelerate rearmament amid growing concerns over Russia’s military posture.
Striking Deep Behind Enemy Lines
The new arsenal aims to enable Germany to hit critical infrastructure—including command centers, airfields, missile launch sites, and logistics hubs—at ranges spanning hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. Internal documents explicitly state the goal is to allow Berlin to conduct strikes “deep in an adversary’s rear” while maintaining a credible conventional response option “below the nuclear threshold.”
Four Pillars of the Program
The plan is structured around four interlocking pillars:
Pillar 1: Rapid Acquisition of Affordable Cruise Missiles
The first and fastest track involves procuring cost-effective cruise missiles for mass production and integration into German armed forces by 2027. Candidate systems under evaluation include the Anthem (developed by U.S.-based Covenant Industries), the Ukrainian-made BARS, and the Flamingo missile from Ukrainian firm Fire Point. Berlin aims for swift certification followed by framework agreements to scale up domestic or European production. This emphasis on affordability reflects hard-won lessons from the war in Ukraine—where large numbers of relatively inexpensive drones and missiles have proven effective at overwhelming enemy air defenses and enabling precision strikes against high-value targets. These systems are intended to complement, not replace, more expensive long-range weapons.
Pillar 2: U.S. Tomahawk Integration
Germany has reached an agreement with the United States to acquire and deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles on German soil using Typhon launcher systems. The goal is to achieve initial operational capability by the end of this decade—providing a proven, interim capability while European-developed systems mature.
Pillars 3 & 4: Joint UK-Germany Advanced Systems
The final two pillars are being developed jointly with the United Kingdom under the Trinity House agreement. They include a next-generation cruise missile and a hypersonic glide weapon. Both are expected to reach operational status in the mid-2030s and will be capable of striking targets beyond 2,000 kilometers.
Budget Breakdown
Internal budget projections allocate nearly €9 billion for development and procurement of these weapons, plus €182 million for sustainment. An additional €1.8 billion is earmarked for related infrastructure—including hardened launch facilities, command-and-control upgrades, and training systems—though the full financial scope remains subject to parliamentary approval and evolving strategic assessments.