Germany is studying the possibility of purchasing mobile Typhon launchers from the United States, which are capable of launching long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles. This was stated by the country's Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, writes Militarnyi with reference to ntv.
"Simply put, these are ground-based launchers that can fire various guided missiles over different distances," the German defense minister said during a visit to Washington.
The Tomahawk cruise missiles that the Typhon is equipped with are capable of reaching targets in Russia from German territory. But the head of the German defense ministry clarified that if purchased, the systems would be used for deterrence.
Boris Pistorius also noted that the decision to purchase these weapons has not yet been made. The country is only expressing its interest. Instead, the US is studying whether it is ready to supply the systems.
The launchers of the MRC Typhon missile system are adapted for ground-based launches. They can be transported by conventional trucks.
Each launcher contains four cells that can accommodate existing types of ship-based missiles. These include subsonic Tomahawk cruise missiles for striking ground targets or long-range SM-6 anti-aircraft missiles that can intercept air and ballistic targets.
Europe is known to be heavily dependent on US weapons, especially high-tech systems. This dependence arose due to post-Cold War defense budget cuts and the slow pace of domestic production.
For example, according to the independent international institute SIPRI, in 2019-2023, about 55% of weapons imported by Europe came from the United States. This is a significant increase compared to 35% in 2014-2018.