Germany Wants American Tomahawk Cruise Missile Launchers Capable of Striking Moscow

Defence affairs analysis

The German government has submitted a formal Letter of Request to the United States to procure the Typhon mobile missile system, as confirmed by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius during an official visit to Washington.

“The range of these weapons systems is significantly greater than what we currently have in Europe,” the minister stated, adding that “with them, Germany can increase its own defence capabilities and significantly improve its deterrent capability – but also that of Europe.” The planned procurement of the systems occurs at a time when Germany has played an increasingly assertive role within NATO both in Eastern Europe and beyond in the Pacific and the Middle East, while investing far more heavily in its armed forces. The Typhon system can employ both the Tomahawk cruise missile, which has a 1600 kilometre range, and the SM-6 multi-purpose missile which can be used for both ballistic missile defence and for medium-range anti shipping. The German Defence Ministry is reportedly primarily interest in the long range strike capabilities provided by the Tomahawk. 

The Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile’s 1600 kilometre range allows Typhon units to strike targets in the Russian capital Moscow from German territory, with Russia considered the primary target of such a procurement plan. Germany’s offensive options against Russia have been expanded considerably, with the German Army on May 22 having inaugurated the 45th Armoured Brigade stationed in Vilnius, Lithuania. The unit is expected to provide an elite forward deployed mechanised warfare capability on the territory of the former USSR, located just 150 kilometres from the Belarusian capital Minsk, and less than 800 kilometres from Moscow.