The possible acquisition of the Typhon system evokes comparisons to the Cold War-era European missile crisis.
Amid ongoing tensions with Russia over Ukraine, Germany has formally requested to purchase Typhon medium-range missile launchers from the United States, according to Defense Minister Boris Pistorius. Deploying the Typhon system would have been prohibited under the now-defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty of 1987.
Pistorius confirmed on Monday that Berlin had officially asked Washington to buy the Typhon system, which is capable of launching Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 multi-role missiles. With a range of approximately 2,000km, the Typhon could strike targets well beyond Moscow if launched from German soil.
Pistorius stated that the system would bridge a capability gap until European nations develop their own long-range missiles, a process he estimates could take seven to ten years.
However, he expressed some doubt about the US’s continued commitment to deploying long-range missiles to Germany starting in 2026, a plan initially announced in 2024 by the administration of then-President Joe Biden. “I am very confident that last year’s agreement is still valid, but we are still waiting for a final decision,” the minister said.
Moscow strongly criticized the announcement of the long-range missile deployment, warning that it would consider itself “free” from its self-imposed moratorium on deploying similar missiles.
The potential deployment of Typhon launchers and other long-range systems draws parallels to NATO’s highly controversial decision in the 1980s to deploy Pershing II nuclear-capable missiles, with a range exceeding 2,000km, in West Germany. This move triggered widespread protests across Europe and heightened tensions between the Soviet Union and the US, eventually leading to a period of détente and the signing of the INF Treaty.
Typhon launcher deployments would have violated the INF Treaty, under which the Soviet Union and the US agreed to eliminate all ground-based missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500km.
The agreement collapsed in 2019 when Washington withdrew, alleging Russian violations. Russia has denied these allegations, accusing the US of developing prohibited missiles. President Vladimir Putin has cautioned that the INF’s demise will significantly undermine the global security structure.