Germany seeks to produce US Tomahawk missiles on its territory

According to the Financial Times, Germany is in negotiations with the US over joint production of Tomahawk cruise missiles and Patriot PAC-3 air defence missiles on German soil. Discussions have intensified ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara scheduled for next week. The prospects for the deal remain unclear, as negotiations are in their early stages.

Germany is in talks with the US to secure the right to produce American Tomahawk cruise missiles on its own territory, according to the Financial Times citing multiple sources. Discussions have accelerated ahead of a NATO summit taking place in Ankara next week.

Negotiations and their content

According to one source, the talks include "everything that could strengthen the defence capabilities of both countries", including joint production of Tomahawk cruise missiles and the Patriot air defence system PAC-3 missiles. Another Financial Times source noted that the American response has been "more positive than expected".

German authorities' concerns were particularly deepened by the US decision to cancel the planned deployment of a Tomahawk ground-based systems battalion to Germany in May. This plan had been developed during President Joe Biden's tenure as a counterweight to Russia's cruise missile deployment in Kaliningrad.

Statement from Bundestag Defence Committee chair

Bundestag Defence Committee chair Thomas Rickamps stressed the urgency of the matter: "We urgently need Tomahawk missile capabilities to defend the European continent. If the Americans do not deploy these missiles, we must find new ways to maintain their combat effectiveness."

Deal prospects remain unclear

According to Financial Times sources, the deal's prospects remain open, as negotiations are at an early stage and any final decision is of a political nature. Additional difficulty stems from tensions between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and US President Donald Trump. Sceptics point out that Washington is unlikely to allow production of its most classified technologies abroad.

The German Defence Ministry confirmed that "intensive and well-functioning" cooperation is taking place with US companies. German defence giant Rheinmetall and American Raytheon are already jointly producing PAC-2 and GEM-T missiles, which provides an existing foundation for joint production.