Ukraine signs cooperation memorandum with German Taurus manufacturer
Ракета Taurus на підприємстві MBDA Deutschland. Фото: Facebook компанії
Ukrainian Defense Industry arms maker signed a memorandum with German manufacturer MBDA Deutschland.
What is the problem?
On May 27 last year, Ukraine appealed to German government to provide the Armed Forces with Taurus long-range cruise missiles.
In November, the arms maker that owns Taurus Systems stated that it could increase the production of missiles in the shortest possible time and integrate new technical achievements into them.
German MPs did not support the opposition's motion to demand that the government transfer Taurus strategic missiles to Ukraine.
Taurus is considered an effective weapon against protected targets, such as command bunkers or ammunition depots, and has a long range. These are the missiles that the Ukrainian forces lack for effective defense and even offense.
What is the solution?
The Ukrainian Defense Industry Joint Stock Company signed a memorandum with MBDA Deutschland, a German arms manufacturer that deals with missile systems.
German Smetanin and Managing Director of MBDA Deutschland Thomas Gottschild/Ukrainian Defense Industry
How does it work?
Cooperation with the world's leading arms companies not only expands Ukraine's existing capabilities on the battlefield but also lays a solid foundation for the further development of the defense industry and promotes its integration into the NATO defense industry.
"This agreement is an important milestone in the relations between the defense industries of our countries. I am looking forward to working with Ukroboronprom, a leading player in the European defense industry," said Thomas Gottschild, Managing Director of MBDA Deutschland.
MBDA Deutschland develops and produces missile and air defense systems that meet the current and future needs of the military.
The MBDA Deutschland plant/Facebook
The Social Democratic Party of Germany's defense expert Johannes Arlt reported that the German defense industry would be unable to replenish missiles if they were supplied to Ukraine quickly.
"In the event of a corresponding order, the manufacturer is ready to launch production of new Taurus missiles and modify existing ones as soon as possible," he wrote on social media.
The Taurus missile at the production site/MBDA Deutschland
New technical advances could be integrated into the production process, which should preserve the product's potential for decades to come.
Germany ordered 600 Taurus missiles for its air force in the early 2000s. However, according to German media, the Bundeswehr currently has only 150 operational Taurus missiles.
The Taurus cruise missiles, together with the French-British Storm Shadow missiles already used by Ukraine, will allow long-range strikes on Russian military infrastructure in the occupied territory.
