“Bars” instead of “Tomahawk”: Germany discusses missile procurement with Ukraine
Дрон-ракета "Барс"/ Ілюстративне фото
Germany plans to buy thousands of long-range missiles from several manufacturers as deliveries of American Tomahawks are delayed by years. Berlin is also in talks with Ukraine about jointly producing and purchasing Bars cruise missiles.
This was reported by Bloomberg , citing sources familiar with the negotiations.
Why Germany is looking for an alternative to the Tomahawks
Berlin is seeking to quickly bolster its missile arsenal in the face of the threat from Russia. The German military is hoping to acquire a significant number of relatively inexpensive, long-range, high-precision missiles. Their mass deployment is intended to overwhelm enemy air defenses and increase the likelihood of hitting targets.
Currently, among the long-range cruise missiles, the German army has the Taurus aircraft with a claimed range of about 500 km. They are manufactured by MBDA and Saab AB.
Meanwhile, plans to buy Tomahawk missiles and Typhon ground-based launchers from American company Raytheon have faced delays. According to Bloomberg, the delivery wait could stretch to five years, and Germany has found itself at the end of the queue of customers. Therefore, the country is considering purchasing weapons from other manufacturers.
Which companies can supply missiles?
One potential partner is the American startup Covenant. Representatives of the German Ministry of Defense are discussing a contract with the company worth more than 1 billion euros to supply thousands of Anthem ground-based cruise missiles equipped with a powerful warhead.
Other possible suppliers include the Dutch company Destinus SA, which develops the Ruta missiles, as well as the German-British startup Hypersonica with the HS1 hypersonic missile project.
Covenant opened a production site in Leipzig, Saxony, this year, with the first missiles expected there in early 2027. The company plans to produce 1,000 units by the end of 2027, and increase production capacity to 5,000 missiles per year by 2028.
According to Bloomberg sources, the Anthem has a range of more than 2,000 km. The company itself does not publicly disclose the exact characteristics of the missile.
Germany discusses production of Barca with Ukraine
In addition to negotiations with European and American manufacturers, Berlin is considering cooperation with Kyiv in the missile sector. The parties are discussing joint production and purchase of the Ukrainian Bars cruise missile.
At the same time, Bloomberg does not disclose the name of the company that produces this missile. Details of the potential deal and possible order volumes are not disclosed at this time.
It was previously reported that Germany is in talks with the US about allowing the production of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot systems in Europe. Berlin is already reporting initial progress on this issue.
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