Germany plans to supplement American Tomahawk cruise missiles with cheaper long-range strike capabilities, including the Ukrainian Bars missile-drones currently under consideration. The Bundeswehr wants to receive the new weapons as early as 2027 in order to be able to launch massive strikes over long distances. Defense Express reports this, citing the German publication hartpunkt, according to UNN.
Details
According to Christian Freuding, a representative of the Bundeswehr leadership, Germany seeks to create ground-based means of striking targets at distances of up to 1,500 km. According to journalists, the Ukrainian Bars and the American Anthem missile are among the promising options under consideration.
At the same time, Berlin plans to purchase 400 Tomahawk missiles and three batteries of Typhon launchers. Combining expensive cruise missiles with cheaper systems will make it possible to increase the number of simultaneous strikes and complicate the work of the enemy's air defense.
Where Ukraine has already used the Bars
Although Germany is only preparing to receive the Ukrainian missile-drones, Ukraine's Defense Forces are already using them against Russian military facilities.
In particular, on May 17, 2026, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the use of the RS-1 Bars together with other Ukrainian drones to strike targets in Moscow Oblast. Earlier, the use of jet-powered Bars during attacks on Russian military enterprises was also reported.
The Ukrainian system belongs to the class of relatively inexpensive long-range strike capabilities. It is precisely the possibility of their mass use that makes such missiles attractive to the Bundeswehr.
In July, Ukraine and Germany signed an agreement on the joint production of Bars missiles. It will allow the German side to manufacture these missiles for its own needs.
At the same time, no final decision has yet been made on adopting the Bars into Bundeswehr service. Before any possible purchases, the Ukrainian missiles must undergo the necessary inspections.