Merz announces purchase and deployment of US Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany

Long-range weapons system

The BGM-109 variant reaches a speed of up to 880 kilometers per hour. At an altitude of less than 200 meters, it is difficult to detect by enemy radar. A nuclear-capable variant of the cruise missile had already been decommissioned in 2013. The unit price, depending on the model, is between one and two million dollars according to information.

The Tomahawk thus adds to the Bundeswehr's arsenal a weapon with significantly greater range than the previous Taurus cruise missile, which according to official information can reach targets at a distance of up to around 500 kilometers and also has to be launched by fighter jets. Boris Pistorius had previously spoken of a capability gap in Europe.

Background and negotiations with Washington

As early as 2024, the United States under Joe Biden had announced that from 2026 onward, Tomahawk cruise missiles, SM-6 missiles, and newly developed hypersonic weapons would be stationed in Germany. The delivery was to be free of charge and carried out with US personnel. After the change of government in Washington, the discussion about the agreement intensified, and there were temporary uncertainties.

Merz had emphasized in December that he saw no reason to doubt the arrangements with the United States within the NATO alliance. According to information from Ankara, the alliance partners also agreed on the sidelines of the summit on support for Ukraine in the amount of 70 billion euros. Pistorius had previously explained that, with the Tomahawks, Germany wanted to build up effective deterrent and defense capabilities against the Russian threat from 2026.

Reactions from Moscow and the security situation in Europe

The deployment takes on particular significance against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine since February 2022. The war has fundamentally changed the security and threat situation in Europe, Merz said. Moscow is roughly 1,600 kilometers as the crow flies from Berlin and about 1,500 kilometers from Germany's eastern border; both distances are therefore within the range of the Tomahawk.

Russia had already announced in 2024 that it would respond in kind to the deployment of the cruise missiles. From 2022 onward, Moscow also increasingly deployed fighter jets equipped with Kinzhal air-to-ground hypersonic missiles to the Kaliningrad region. The Kremlin had also developed the SSC-8 (9M729) weapon system, which in turn was regarded as a violation of the INF Treaty. The United States had withdrawn from the treaty banning land-based ballistic missiles and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers because of this system.

European missile project Elsa

In parallel with the bilateral agreement with Washington, the German government is pushing ahead with its own missile program together with several European NATO allies. The Elsa (European Long-Range Strike Approach) project was launched at the NATO summit in Washington in 2024. Under this umbrella, the participating states want to develop their own cruise missile with a range of more than 2,000 kilometers, which is to enable long-range precision strikes on so-called high-value targets of an adversary (deep precision strike). According to the German government, the program provides for investments of 50 billion euros, of which Germany is to bear roughly half.

In Ankara, the alliance partners also agreed to link the deployment plans with greater European responsibility within NATO. Merz announced that work would proceed in parallel to develop European systems and station them in Europe. The arrangements should provide more momentum for businesses, preserve the welfare state, and provide tax relief for employees, he said with reference to the reform course being pursued in parallel by the black-red coalition.

On the sidelines of his government statement, Merz campaigned for the reform course agreed in 34 points and at the same time addressed the AfD directly. "Die Mitte des Landes liefere, arbeite und erfülle den Auftrag des Grundgesetzes," said Merz. Parties that divided the country and assumed political responsibility would lead it into the abyss. Referring to the Federal Statistical Office, he also explained that the order backlog in companies had been 30 percent higher since the beginning of 2025 than at the end of 2024.

Domestic political context of the government statement

Merz returned from the NATO summit in Ankara on Wednesday evening. The government statement on the political situation, which was convened at short notice, took place one day before the planned vote on the reform of statutory health insurance in the Bundestag and Bundesrat. Merz announced that the reform package would reorganize the financial basis of the healthcare system. He also took a look at the discussion about troop withdrawals from Germany and emphasized that Germany was strong enough to repel attacks on freedom and stability together.

According to government information, the procurement of the Tomahawk cruise missiles is part of a broader program to strengthen conventional defense capabilities. With the extended ranges, NATO wants to send a clear signal of unity, in the chancellor's words. At the same time, Merz pointed to Europe's growing responsibility within the alliance and announced that the European pillar of deterrence would be further expanded.