Germany since 2025 has been very persistently attempting to purchase American Tomahawk cruise missiles and Typhon ground launchers. Overall 400 Tomahawk Block Vb and three launchers for €1.35 billion. Currently Berlin has been waiting a year for Washington's response regarding cruise missile purchase possibility. However went further and recently raised topic regarding possible licensed production organization in Germany itself.
Currently this is unofficial insider information from American publications requiring confirmation. However quite expected, recalling U.S. by CSIS estimates spent approximately 30% of Tomahawk cruise missile stockpiles in iran war over 1,000 units. At the same time only 207 units are ordered for 2026, although 785 Tomahawks should be produced in 2027.
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Thus only for restoring American stockpiles after 39 days of iran operation, two years are necessary. This without accounting for export contracts with Australia, Japan and Netherlands totaling up to 795 cruise missiles, or another annual production volume of 2027 scale.
In this situation, U.S. Tomahawk localization proposal may precisely be response to U.S. warnings regarding supply impossibility in foreseeable future. Moreover, may be presented as supporting Pentagon efforts regarding rapid Tomahawk cruise missile production marshaling.
At the same time, German defense industry has broad production capacities and competencies, Taurus cruise missile production experience, which by the way uses American components, for example Williams P8300-15 engine. Additionally, Germany is historical and one of most powerful U.S. NATO partners, whose companies compete for supplying weapons to American army itself: in SPH, IFV replacement competition and truck supply.
In other words, U.S. response to Germany's Tomahawk proposal will indeed be extremely telling. Although may encounter certain Washington reservations, as this is long-range missile weaponry. Ultimately even closer U.S. ally — Britain, which long was only Tomahawk operator besides U.S., never raised licensed production topic.
At the same time, Berlin's other proposal, providing license for PAC-3 MSE anti-ballistic missiles for Patriot SAM systems — contains no such risks. U.S. already provided final production licenses for such missiles to Japan. Besides that, Germany implements PAC-2 GEM-T surface-to-air missile production project at COMLOG facilities in Schrobenhausen (Raytheon and MBDA joint enterprise), mostly designed for striking aerodynamic targets.
Also Germany actively purchases additional Patriot SAM systems from U.S., since 2022 ordering 8 simplified composition systems for $2.4 billion. There is neighboring Poland example, also seeking license for these surface-to-air missiles.
Therefore U.S. negative response or continued silence on this Germany proposal as well will be even more telling. No less telling will be volume, timelines and other cooperation conditions if given green light. Not only for Germany but for all European countries including Ukraine.
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