Key Takeaways

  • MBDA secured a new contract linked to Germany’s next-generation Taurus Neo air-launched cruise missile.
  • The contract is intended to prepare the serial production of the Taurus Neo missile.
  • Large-scale manufacturing planned at a production site in Germany.
  • Work on new technologies for Taurus Neo had already begun under a maintenance and modernization contract awarded in December 2024.

Strategic Implications

This agreement may indicate Germany’s priority on rebuilding its long-range strike capabilities. The deployment of the Taurus Neo missile could strengthen Germany’s air-launched deep-strike capability, potentially offsetting the planned retirement of the Luftwaffe’s Tornado strike aircraft by 2030.