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Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius (SPD), is planning to equip the Bundeswehr with an advanced version of the long-range Taurus cruise missile, according to a report from DER SPIEGEL (Issue 44/2024). However, the financing for this crucial defense project remains unclear.
Confidential documents submitted to the budget committee detail the Ministry’s intention to procure approximately 600 Taurus Neo missiles, with an estimated cost of €2.1 billion. The first of these advanced missiles could be delivered by 2029. This acquisition is deemed a military necessity, aiming to enhance Germany’s long-range strike capabilities.
Currently, due to budget constraints, the project is listed as an option within the Ministry’s 2025 budget plan. The defense department has requested an initial €350 million to launch the project next year, with the majority of costs to be incurred after 2029. The Bundeswehr currently operates around 600 older Taurus missiles, designed for deep-strike operations behind enemy lines, which are undergoing extensive modernization efforts.
Despite repeated requests from Ukraine for German Taurus missiles, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has consistently declined to approve these deliveries.
Edited: Katerina Urbanova
Photo Credit: MBDA