Germany’s federal parliament budget committee has greenlit plans to buy MBDA Brimstone 3 missiles for its Eurofighter planes.
The framework deal lists an order of up to 3,266 missile units, with the first tranche consisting of 378 missiles totaling up to 376 million euros ($402 million).
About 274 units will be reserved for operational use, while 29 will be used for testing with the remaining 75 saved for training purposes.
Pylons for weapon suspension, auxiliary and diagnostic equipment, as well as toolkits and training materials will be in the delivery.
Berlin estimates that the deliveries will begin by 2028.
Bolstering the Eurofighter
Germany has established various programs to integrate new capabilities into its Eurofighter planes.
Its most recent initiatives include the fitting of Saab’s transmitter location and self-protection system and Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles.
These updates were approved by the parliament in 2023 to allow the aircraft to detect, locate, and disable anti-aircraft radars mid-flight.
The multirole fighter fleet is touted as Germany’s premier air defense unit, with 138 currently in service. Another 20 were ordered earlier this month as a response to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo are the Eurofighter’s joint venture manufacturers.
