Germany in talks over €6 billion rocket launcher deal with Israel
The proposed procurement would center on Elbit Systems’ PULS rocket launcher, with production expected to take place in Germany.
Germany is planning to deepen its security cooperation with Israel through a major procurement deal for NATO forces that could be worth up to €6 billion. The plan includes the purchase of up to 500 multiple rocket launchers and thousands of missiles, according to sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg reported.
Under the proposal, the German Defense Ministry is in talks with Elbit Systems, the Franco-German defense manufacturer KNDS, and the German defense group Diehl. The emerging agreement includes an initial purchase of 250 MARS 3 rocket launchers for the German army, along with an option to acquire 250 additional systems for other European countries.
The MARS 3 is a European version of Elbit’s PULS multi-barrel precision rocket launcher system, which can fire a variety of rockets and missiles at different ranges.
According to the sources, the agreement will include the transfer of know-how and production licenses from Israel to Germany, allowing the systems to be manufactured and assembled locally. Elbit is expected to assemble the systems in Germany, while launcher technology will be provided by KNDS and additional components supplied by Diehl.
The deal is expected to be submitted to German lawmakers for approval later this year. However, strengthening security ties between Germany and Israel could prove politically controversial within Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition, particularly amid the escalation in the Middle East following the Israeli-American strike on Iran.
Last year, Israel completed the transfer of the Arrow 3 missile defense system to Germany, the largest defense export deal in Israel’s history. The system enables the German Air Force to intercept ballistic missiles outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
At the same time, Germany’s Defense Ministry is planning additional agreements to supply ammunition for the new launchers. The first phase is expected to include the purchase of rockets with a range of approximately 150 kilometers, in a deal worth several billion euros.
Under the plan, the German army is expected to receive thousands of rockets by 2030, with additional orders for thousands of missiles anticipated annually thereafter.
