According to a newspaper report, the Bundeswehr wants to modernize all of its 600 “Taurus” cruise missiles. Half of the inventory has expired, the rest is ready for use, but should also be revised.
According to a media report, all “Taurus” cruise missiles from Bundeswehr stocks are to be modernized. As the daily newspaper “Welt” reported, after a technology upgrade in 2018, only half of the German armed forces’ almost 600 “Taurus” systems are currently considered operational. The other half had their certification expired.
According to the report, the operational cruise missiles will now be revised again, and those that are currently not certified will be overhauled. According to “Welt”, the contract would have to be advertised by the Bundeswehr’s procurement office. The arms company MBDA, which, among other things, assembles the “Taurus” in Schrobenhausen, Bavaria, could apply. The Bundestag would then have to release the financial resources for the order.
No confirmation from that yet Ministry of Defense
The Ministry of Defense has not yet commented on the matter. As the newspaper reports, the Bundestag’s Defense Committee has been informed of the plans.
The FDP defense politician Marcus Faber wrote on the Internet service X in mid-February that Germany had promised NATO that it would keep more than 1,000 Taurus cruise missiles in stock.
According to “Welt”, the government has not yet decided on any additional new orders.
Ukraine has been asking the federal government for months to hand over some of the German “Taurus” cruise missiles. However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) vehemently rejects this – despite pressure from his coalition partners the Greens and FDP.