Germany to buy Ukrainian missiles
The German government will sign a deal for the first batch of Bars missiles for testing by the Bundeswehr.
By Marco Graham ·
Germany is set to spend nearly €12 billion on new long-range weapons to deter Russia. As part of that effort, the German government is preparing its first purchase of Ukrainian-developed Bars missiles.
The Financial Times reports that sources say an agreement will be signed in the coming weeks. The deal covers an initial batch of missiles intended for technical trials by the Bundeswehr.
The Bars is a jet-powered missile with a flight range of up to 1,000 km. Its payload capacity reaches up to 105 kg, depending on the specific modification. While Ukrainian officials often call it a drone missile, Germany classifies it as a low-cost cruise missile.
Production of the weapon is already underway in Germany. A joint Ukrainian-German company, whose operations remain secret, manufactures the missiles. The first batch of German-made Bars, funded by Berlin, was delivered to Ukraine in October. The venture will now produce units for Germany's own use.
This marks the first known procurement of Ukrainian-developed offensive weaponry for the Bundeswehr. The initial batch will allow the German military to conduct trials early next year. If the results are satisfactory, the order could expand to several hundred units.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the Bars as a key weapon used to strike military bases and energy facilities on Russian territory. One source familiar with the details noted that the Bars is even cheaper than other alternatives.
Germany also plans to acquire a small batch of Anthem cruise missiles from US startup Covenant. The Anthem costs approximately one-tenth the price of a Tomahawk missile, which ranges from US$4 million to US$6 million. The acquisition of the Ukrainian Flamingo cruise missile has been postponed for now.
Currently, the German armed forces rely on the air-launched Taurus cruise missile, which has a range of about 500 km. Plans to purchase the BGM-109 Tomahawk missile and the Typhon ground-based launcher system from US manufacturer Raytheon could be delayed for up to five years. Denmark recently announced a billion-dollar deal to purchase high-precision long-range missiles for the first time in its history.
