As of: January 28, 2024, 5:00 a.m
By: Nils Hinsberger
Comments
Press
Split
Germany could deliver cruise missiles – similar to the Taurus – to Ukraine via a detour.
What makes the system so popular?
And how much does that actually cost?
Berlin – There finally seems to be movement in the debate about the delivery of Taurus cruise missiles to Ukraine.
In order to avoid direct delivery of the long-range missiles, Germany could deliver the Taurus to other NATO countries such as France and Great Britain.
In return, they would then send comparable weapons systems to Ukraine as part of a ring exchange.
The federal government is holding back on the one hand because of its role in the Ukraine war and on the other hand because of its own military capacity, said Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) in an interview with the
Tagesspiegel
.
With the Taurus system, Ukraine could also attack targets far behind the Russian border - a point of contention in the traffic light coalition.
The cruise missiles are anything but cheap, reports the
Tagesschau
.
The debate over Taurus cruise missiles for Ukraine continues.
© IMAGO/Arnulf Hettrich
Ministry of Defense bought 600 Taurus cruise missiles - for one million euros each
In 2005, the Defense Ministry ordered 600 Taurus cruise missiles.
The unit price at the time was said to have been around one million euros, writes the
Tagesschau
.
FDP politician Marcus Faber reported that of the 600 systems, only 150 were ready for use.
The 39-year-old is a member of the Defense Committee in the Bundestag.
According to Faber, the remaining 450 could be made functional again by the manufacturer.
So technically there is nothing standing in the way of deployment in Ukraine.
According to the Tagesschau
, the fear that Russian territory will be attacked with the Taurus could
be circumvented through technical changes.
One possibility is to reprogram the missiles so that they can only travel 300 kilometers instead of their full range of 500 kilometers.
Another suggestion is to set an area block.
This means that the Taurus can develop its full range potential, but only as long as it does not penetrate Russian territory.
According to CDU foreign expert Roderich Kiesewetter, such a change can be implemented in a few weeks.
Traffic light partners are pushing for Taurus missiles to be delivered to Ukraine
“It is understandable now, after months of discussion, that Ukraine hopes that the decision will come very soon,” Green Party leader Omid Nouripour said at a news conference.
Together with the CDU and FDP, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is demanding a timely delivery of the weapon systems - directly to Ukraine.
The idea of exchanging rings is not well received by all traffic light politicians.
My news
With Sweden's imminent accession to NATO waters, the Baltic Sea will shrink - and Russia's leeway will dwindle
Two in one fell swoop: Ukrainian drones take out Russian tanks read
88.3 million dollars in damages - Why Trump probably won't appeal read
Like Jules Verne – Ukraine deploys autonomous submarines against Putin
After alleged Hamas aid: Germany stops payments to Palestine aid organization
Satellite images reveal secret Russian helicopter base in Crimea
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba recently tried to dispel concerns that Ukraine was using the missiles to attack Russian cities.
In an interview with
Bild
,
Welt
and
Politico,
he said: “We don't need a Taurus to attack Moscow.” Rather, Ukraine wants to attack Russian military infrastructure in the areas in eastern Ukraine occupied by Vladimir Putin's troops.
Ukraine demands Taurus – “the Air Force’s most modern missile”
The weapon system has four independent navigation systems and is reliable, even in the event of disruptive actions by enemy troops, the Bundeswehr writes on its website.
The Taurus KEPD-350 is therefore “one of the most modern missiles in the Air Force”.
It is used “to combat important targets at long distances,” explains the Bundeswehr.
In use, the missile would be able to penetrate “even highly hardened target structures, such as bunkers or command posts.”
The most important data of the Taurus cruise missile at a glance:
length |
5.1m |
|---|---|
Width |
1.08m |
Height |
80.5cm |
Weight |
1.35 tons |
Range |
500km |
Cost per piece |
About a million euros |
If the federal government agrees to exchange rings with Great Britain and France, Ukraine could soon receive Storm Shadow missiles.
However, the system lags behind the Taurus missiles in terms of range.
According to the manufacturer, the Storm Shadow can hit targets more than 250 kilometers away.
Just half of the Taurus system.
(nhi)