Germany views Ukrainian long-range missiles as alternative to its own developments, - Handelsblatt
Germany is considering Ukrainian long-range missiles as one option for bolstering its own strike capabilities. Against the backdrop of a shortage of long-range missiles, the Bundeswehr is increasingly looking into cooperation with the Ukrainian defence industry.
This is reported in an article by Handelsblatt, as reported by Censor.NET.
Details
At the Eurosatory-2026 defence exhibition in Paris, the Ukrainian manufacturer Fire Point showcased several exhibits. The German government views the company as one of the options for quickly closing a dangerous gap in the field of long-range cruise missiles.
Ukraine had long unsuccessfully requested that Germany supply Taurus cruise missiles, but Kyiv now has its own long-range systems. Consequently, such dependence may become a thing of the past.
After the US government refused to supply Germany with Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of up to 2,500 kilometres, the Bundeswehr was effectively left without any weapons capable of striking targets beyond 500 kilometres – just as it is in the field of ballistic missiles.
What are people saying in Germany?
Rheinmetall’s CEO, Armin Papperger, noted that Ukraine has made great strides in the field of missiles in a short space of time.
"We have been in talks with various Ukrainian defence companies for some time," he said, adding that he was ready to cooperate under the right conditions.
Cooperation between Ukraine and Germany
German sensor systems manufacturer Hensoldt has already signed a cooperation agreement with Fire Point and is supplying the company with its TRML-4D radar system, which is also used in the IRIS-T air defence system produced by the German firm Diehl. The production of the "Flamingo" in Germany is also under discussion.
Meanwhile, at the exhibition, the European missile manufacturer MBDA signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ukrainian company Luch regarding the further development of the "Neptune" cruise missile. MBDA has also already signed a cooperation agreement in the field of Deep Strikes with "Ukrainian Armoured Vehicles".
Serhii Pashynskyi, head of the Ukrainian defence association NAUDI, emphasised that Ukraine and Germany stand to benefit from deeper cooperation. German investment and technology could take the Ukrainian defence industry to a new level
"If you compare the Taurus with the Flamingo, it’s roughly like comparing a Mercedes to a Volkswagen ‘Beetle’," he says.
According to Pashynskyi, the ‘Beetle’ was, in its day, an important step towards creating more sophisticated cars. Together, we can produce goods for the global market.
Context
The Volkswagen Käfer (‘Beetle’) – one of the most legendary cars in history, produced from 1938 to 2003 – with a total of over 21 million units.
In Germany, the ‘Beetle’ is a symbol of the post-war economic miracle and national success – an affordable, reliable, mass-produced vehicle from which an entire industrial era grew
An alternative to the Tomahawk
Vladyslav Belbas, CEO of "Ukrainian Armoured Vehicles", did not provide specific details, but is convinced that the Ukrainian-European alternative to the Tomahawk will be ready for use as early as next year.
"It’s a question of money and political will. Both are now in place," he explained.
Unlike the Tomahawk, which costs around two million dollars per missile, the Fire Point cruise missiles are estimated to cost approximately 500,000 dollars each.
Rapid development of the Ukrainian defence industry
Rheinmetall’s willingness to cooperate demonstrates just how rapidly the Ukrainian defence sector is developing. After all, just three months ago, Papperger sparked a wave of criticism with his comments about the Ukrainian drone industry.
At the time, in an interview, he claimed that Ukrainian drones were allegedly being manufactured "by housewives in their kitchens using 3D printers".
However, it is now known that Rheinmetall has also set up a joint venture with the Dutch missile specialist Destinus.
The companies are working together on a cruise missile with a range of over 2,000 kilometres. Production of the first missiles, with a range of 500 km, is scheduled to begin as early as the end of 2026 at the plant in Unterlüs. The missiles will cost between 300,000 and 400,000 euros each.
Procurement of more expensive and complex systems is planned to begin later, once the Bundeswehr has established a basic arsenal of long-range weapons.
Currently, as part of the European Long Range Strike Approach (ELSA) initiative, a European consortium is working on the joint development of modern long-range cruise missiles. In addition to Germany, the project includes France, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
At Eurosatory 2026, the participating countries confirmed their intention to jointly produce long-range cruise missiles. At the same time, German-Ukrainian defence partnerships could become a promising alternative.
