- Category
- World
Germany Moves to Buy US Tomahawk Missiles to Boost Long-Range Strike Capability
Prefer U24 Media on Google
- Authors
![Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko]( "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
Germany has secured an agreement with the United States to purchase Tomahawk cruise missiles, a move aimed at establishing a long-range strike capability.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced the deal during a speech summarizing outcomes from a recent NATO summit, where Berlin negotiated the multi-billion dollar acquisition to shore up its national defense infrastructure, according to Hartpunkt on July 9.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
Media reports indicate Germany is considering the procurement of up to 400 Tomahawk Block Vb missiles in a deal that could exceed €1 billion ($1.08 billion), alongside an integrated request for specialized land-based mobile launchers to deploy them.
During his address, Merz confirmed that the United States agreed to allow the German Armed Forces, the Bundeswehr, to procure and position the long-range precision weapon systems within Germany.
"With this, we close an important strategic gap in our defense, and at the same time, we will work on developing our own European systems and deploying them in Europe," Merz stated. The procurement acts as an interim solution while European partners design domestic deep-strike capabilities.
The defense acquisition goes beyond the cruise missiles themselves. Berlin has requested the delivery of surface-to-surface configured variants, which will necessitate purchasing Typhon weapon systems from defense contractor Lockheed Martin.
-d6f1bfd5ccbc475c9f275ea31137633d.jpg)
Also known as the Mid-Range Capability (MRC) launcher, the Typhon system is a land-based transportable configuration derived from the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System used on naval vessels.
It features four launch canisters integrated onto a specialized semi-trailer, allowing the ground-launched cruise missiles to operate dynamically from mobile positions. Berlin’s initial inquiry regarding these platforms dates back to July 2025.
The BGM-109 Tomahawk, originally developed in the 1970s and continually updated by Raytheon, remains a premier subsonic deep-strike asset. While specific operational parameters of the newest Block V variant remain classified, publicly available defense documentation indicates it boasts an operational range exceeding 1,666 kilometers and carries a 450-kilogram conventional warhead.
The sub-variants under consideration by Germany possess an estimated range of roughly 2,000 kilometers, granting the Bundeswehr the ability to strike targets deep inside hostile territory.
Previously, Germany evaluated low-cost, long-range cruise missiles from defense startups in Israel and Ukraine to independently develop its strategic deep-strike capabilities and deter Russia.
This procurement pivot took on new urgency after US President Donald Trump reversed a previous administration agreement to deploy a long-range conventional missile unit to Germany. Concurrently, Berlin’s independent effort to purchase American Tomahawk cruise missiles remained stalled within the Pentagon’s export review process, which was not expected to clear before mid-2026.
Discuss this article:
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
