Germany Plans Ground-Launched Tomahawk Purchase, Requests Typhon Launchers

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Germany has agreed to acquire ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States. A letter of intent for the procurement was signed Tuesday following Merz's return from the NATO Summit in Ankara, Turkey.

The planned purchase covers the ground-launched variant, with up to 400 Tomahawk Block Vb missiles valued at more than $1 billion. Germany will also need to acquire Typhon launchers to deploy the missiles, a request for which was submitted in July 2025.

The Block V missiles include a two-way datalink, and the Block Vb variant is equipped with a joint multi-effects warhead. Their range exceeds 1,000 miles.

Germany's current longest-range indirect fires system is the M270 Multiple Launch Rocket System, which reaches approximately 43 miles. The country has not received Army Tactical Missile System missiles. Merz stated that the missiles will close an important strategic gap in Germany's defense. Berlin will also work to develop its own European systems and station them in Europe.

Germany participates in the European Long-Range Strike Approach initiative and has agreed with the United Kingdom to develop a deep precision-strike weapon exceeding 2,000 kilometers. Outside the United States, only Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom operate the Tomahawk missile, and all use the naval version.

Germany had considered the naval Tomahawk for its canceled Type 127 frigates.

The United States announced in May that it would reduce its military presence in Germany by 5,000 soldiers and abandon plans to deploy the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force. The purchase comes after the collapse of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The United States withdrew in 2019 and Russia suspended participation in 2023.