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Germany to Develop Next-Gen Taurus Neo Cruise Missile after Ukraine War Lessons.
On October 27, 2024, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced an ambitious project to develop an advanced version of the Taurus cruise missile. This project, which involves acquiring 600 units of the new model called the Taurus Neo, comes as Ukraine increasingly calls on Berlin to provide long-range weapons to counter Russian attacks on its territory. The decision to develop the Taurus Neo marks a significant step in modernizing Germany's military capabilities and strengthening its strategic position in a tense geopolitical context.
MBDA Taurus EX Air-Launched Cruise Missile (Picture source: Army Recognition)
The Taurus Neo project aims to enhance the capabilities of the existing Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile. According to parliamentary sources, the planned developments will include increased range, improved accuracy, and enhanced explosive power. The project's total cost is estimated at approximately €2.1 billion for acquiring 600 missiles, with initial deliveries expected from 2029. To launch the development, an initial funding of €350 million is required starting in 2025, while most of the budget will be allocated after 2029.
The technical improvements of the Taurus Neo are expected to include a range exceeding 500 km, enabling it to reach more distant targets with greater accuracy. The guidance system will be modernized, integrating advanced inertial navigation and GPS correction technologies to improve precision on hard-to-reach targets. The missile is also expected to be equipped with a more powerful warhead, designed to penetrate heavily reinforced structures, such as bunkers or underground shelters. Additionally, the Taurus Neo may incorporate technologies to bypass missile defense systems, thus enhancing its ability to evade radars and penetrate enemy air defenses.
The decision to launch the Taurus Neo project comes in a context where the war in Ukraine has heightened security concerns in Europe. Since the beginning of the conflict, Russia has intensified its use of cruise missiles to target strategic and civilian infrastructure, underscoring Ukraine's need for similar retaliatory capabilities. In response, the United Kingdom and France have already provided Kyiv with long-range cruise missiles, such as the Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG, which Ukrainian forces have adapted for use on Soviet-made aircraft.
These missiles, equipped with sophisticated guidance systems combining GPS, inertial navigation, and infrared imaging (IIR), are mainly used to strike heavily defended targets like ammunition depots, command centers, and logistical hubs behind Russian lines. The Taurus KEPD 350, with its 500 km range and enhanced penetration capabilities, would offer Ukraine additional capabilities to target critical infrastructure and strategic points in Russia, particularly in Crimea. Unlike the Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG missiles, the Taurus is equipped with a dual-stage warhead specifically designed to destroy heavily fortified and deeply buried targets.
Currently, the German armed forces have about 600 Taurus KEPD 350 missiles, primarily used from Tornado fighters. Although the missile has also been tested on the Eurofighter EF2000, it is not yet used as a standard launch platform for the Taurus. The upcoming retirement of the Tornado raises questions about the launch platform for the Taurus Neo. The Eurofighter appears to be the most likely option, while integration on the F-35A, recently ordered by Germany, seems unlikely without a complete redesign of the missile to fit the internal bay of the American stealth fighter.
In the longer term, Germany could consider integrating the Taurus Neo within the framework of the SCAF (Future Combat Air System) program, a next-generation fighter project developed in collaboration with France, Spain, and Belgium. The SCAF is expected to play a central role in modernizing European air capabilities in the coming decades.
The development of the Taurus Neo could have considerable implications for European defense. As a long-range precision weapon, this missile could strengthen Germany's deterrence capabilities while offering additional strategic options for the continent's collective defense. The modernization of the German armed forces is part of a broader effort to respond to new security threats exacerbated by the war in Ukraine and rising tensions with Russia.
However, funding for the Taurus Neo project remains a major challenge for the German government. The 2025 budget will need to include the €350 million necessary to launch the development, and expenses in subsequent years could be affected by current budget constraints. Nonetheless, the support expressed by the government coalition suggests a favorable outcome for the project, despite potential debates in Parliament on the appropriateness of prioritizing such expenditures in a challenging economic context.
The announcement of the Taurus Neo project comes just two days after the signing of a historic defense agreement between Germany and the United Kingdom aimed at rapidly developing new, more advanced long-range strike weapons than the Storm Shadow. This agreement was followed by the announcement of the UK's membership in the European Long-Range Strike Approach (ELSA), an initiative led by France and involving Germany, Poland, and Italy. ELSA aims to develop a missile with a range between 1,000 and 2,000 km by the 2030s.
Although the integration of the Taurus Neo into these programs remains uncertain, the growing interest in long-range strike weapons in Europe reflects an increasing awareness of the need to strengthen deterrence and defense capabilities in the face of emerging threats. The Taurus Neo project could therefore fit into a broader dynamic aimed at bolstering collective security on the European continent while positioning Germany as a key player in the development of new defense technologies.
The development of advanced cruise missiles, such as the Taurus KEPD 350, represents a critical strategic asset for Western armed forces, particularly in the context of modern conflicts where precision and long-range strike capabilities are crucial. For Ukraine, the use of missiles provided by its allies, such as the Storm Shadow and SCALP-EG, has demonstrated the effectiveness of these weapons in striking deep behind enemy lines at strategic targets. These missiles allow for the neutralization of critical military infrastructure, such as ammunition depots, command centers, and logistical nodes, thereby disrupting adversary operations and weakening their support capabilities for frontline forces. The Taurus, with its extended 500 km range and reinforced penetration capability, would offer Ukraine increased ability to target strategic sites in Crimea or Russia, expanding the range and impact of Ukrainian operations.