Germany Plans €12 Billion Long-Range Arsenal to Deter Russia
The German government plans to invest approximately €12 billion ($14 billion) to develop a new long-range weapons arsenal aimed at deterring Russia, according to internal Defense Ministry documents. The four-part plan includes deploying low-cost cruise missiles by 2027, acquiring US Tomahawk missiles by the end of the decade, and developing advanced systems with the UK by the mid-2030s.
Germany has announced plans to invest roughly €12 billion ($14 billion) in developing a new long-range arsenal of weapons designed to deter Russia, according to a report by Politico. This initiative, deemed a top priority for both Germany and NATO, seeks to equip the German military with the capability to strike targets located hundreds or thousands of kilometers behind enemy lines using conventional means, not exceeding nuclear thresholds.
The defense plan consists of four key stages. The initial phase will see the deployment of a new, affordable cruise missile by 2027. In the second phase, Germany aims to integrate US Typhon launchers equipped with Tomahawk missiles into its arsenal by the end of the decade, providing a reliable interim weapon. The latter half of the plan includes the collaborative development of sophisticated weapons with the United Kingdom, slated for introduction by around the middle of the next decade.
The internal documents reveal that these capacity-building efforts will necessitate nearly €12 billion in state financing, though this funding has not yet been officially approved as part of the state budget planning process. While the German Defense Ministry has declined to provide specifics on the individual programs, it has stated that such measures are expected to undergo parliamentary approval.
The surge in military development comes as Germany evaluates potential diplomatic action against Russia in response to escalating hybrid security threats. Germany is currently assessing the legal groundwork for the Russian House cultural center in Berlin, with the option of ending a 2011 bilateral agreement that permits its operation.
This review is expected to conclude in June 2027. The Foreign Ministry attributes the review to "Russia's escalating hybrid activities," citing the Russian House, operated by the sanctioned agency Rossotrudnichestvo, as a primary concern. The German government's interest in the cultural center centers around its recent involvement in the discovery of an explosive-laden drone near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig/Halle Airport.
German federal prosecutors have taken charge of investigating the drone incident, and Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the situation as a potential "hybrid attack scenario," warning of Germany's frequent targets of espionage, sabotage, and cyberattacks.
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