Germany to procure US cruise missiles which may replace Taurus
Germany has started the process of ordering 75 new JASSM-ER cruise missiles from the US. They may replace Taurus missiles already in service in the Ministry of Defence of Germany.
Source: European Pravda with reference to Bild which did not disclose its sources
Details: Bild reports that this procurement may replace the existent Taurus missiles in the long-term perspective and is being conducted after the German government expressed its interest in buying the F-35 fighter jets and complementary missiles to the US government in 2022.
The procurement price for the whole package exceeds €8 billion, as stated in the material.
Several air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles were ordered together with F-35s but the procurement process of the JASSM got protracted.
Bild states that the official contract is expected to be signed this autumn.
The JASSM cruise missile is used to strike the targets of high importance with high precision: in 2018 a plant which produced chemical weapons and belonged to the Assad regime in Syria was destroyed by American strikes from these missiles.
Background:
- The media revealed some details about the potential transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine discussed at the meeting of the German Bundestag, which may result in an investigation into the leak of secret information.
- The T-Online portal published details of the discussion. In particular, this concerns the report of the Bundeswehr's General Inspector Carsten Breuer on the features of target designation for Taurus missiles, which revealed the true reason for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's opposition to transferring these missiles to Ukraine.
- Earlier, Scholz publicly gave different reasons for why Germany refused to supply Ukraine with Taurus missiles – from avoiding a possible escalation and involvement in the war with Russia to being concerned that the missiles would be used to strike Moscow.
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