Germany to purchase Ukrainian Bars missiles for its own armed forces

Germany plans to purchase Ukrainian Bars cruise missiles for its own armed forces. Initially, the Bundeswehr will receive a small batch for testing, and if successful, Berlin may order several hundred missiles.

This is reported by the Financial Times .

According to the publication, German authorities expect to conclude negotiations on the initial purchase in the coming weeks. Technical tests of the missiles are planned to begin in early 2027.

“Bars” is a Ukrainian jet-powered cruise missile, the flight range of which, depending on the modification, can reach 1000 km. It is capable of carrying a warhead weighing up to 105 kg. In Ukraine, this weapon is also called a drone missile, while in Germany it is considered an inexpensive cruise missile.

Fabian Hoffman, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies, noted that the Bars has become one of the most widespread Ukrainian low-cost cruise missiles. According to him, the significant experience of using the missile allows us to assess its characteristics and effectiveness.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky previously reported that Bars is being used to strike Russian military bases and energy facilities.

According to the Financial Times, in recent months, Bars missiles have also been produced in Germany within the framework of a Ukrainian-German joint venture. It was created as part of the Build with Ukraine initiative, which envisages the production of Ukrainian weapons abroad to increase production volumes and reduce the risks of Russian strikes on production facilities.

The first batch of Bars missiles, manufactured in Germany at the expense of the German side, was transferred to Ukraine in October. Now the joint production can also provide ammunition to the German army. If the deal is concluded, this will be the first known purchase of offensive weapons of Ukrainian development by the Bundeswehr for its own needs.

Berlin’s interest in Ukrainian missiles is part of a strategy to increase its long-range weapons stockpiles. Germany has already agreed to an initial purchase of American Tomahawk missiles, but their high cost and limited production capacity could delay deliveries until the 2030s. So German officials are also looking for cheaper systems that can be produced in large quantities.

In addition to the Bars, Germany plans to purchase a small batch of Anthem cruise missiles, developed by the American startup Covenant, for testing. According to the publication, one Anthem missile costs about 10 times less than the Tomahawk, which costs between $4 million and $6 million. According to a source in the Financial Times, the Ukrainian Bars is even cheaper.

German Army Chief Christian Freuding previously said that such systems would complement more expensive cruise missiles. They would allow for mass strikes on targets at a distance of about 1,500 km and overload Russian air defenses, while the more expensive weapons would be used against strategically important objects.

It has previously been reported that Germany plans to purchase thousands of long-range missiles from several manufacturers as deliveries of American Tomahawks are delayed for years. Berlin is also in talks with Ukraine about the joint production and purchase of Bars cruise missiles.

Recall that Germany is negotiating with the United States to allow the production of PAC-3 interceptor missiles for Patriot systems in Europe. Berlin has already announced the first progress on this issue.

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