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UK and Germany Launch Joint Program for a 2 000 km Missile under European Deep Strike Approach.
Meeting in Berlin on May 15, 2025, UK Defence Secretary John Healey and German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius announced the launch of an ambitious joint project: the development of a long-range precision strike weapon system capable of hitting targets over 2,000 kilometers away. This initiative marks the first tangible outcome of the bilateral "Trinity House" agreement, signed in October 2024, which aims to strengthen strategic cooperation between London and Berlin in the context of growing tensions across Europe.
Trident II D5 missile launched from HMS Vanguard. Illustrative image of long-range strike capabilities (Picture source: British Navy)
This next-generation missile, whose name and technical specifications have yet to be disclosed, is expected to surpass the current capabilities of the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP cruise missile and Germany’s Taurus KEPD-350. It is part of a broader framework: the European Long Strike Approach (ELSA), originally initiated by France, Germany, Italy, and Poland, and later joined by the UK and Sweden. This European initiative aims to equip the continent with sovereign deep-strike capabilities, with ranges exceeding 2,000 kilometers, potentially including ballistic vectors. The project is structured into thematic "clusters," allowing participating states to define their specific operational needs and develop tailored concepts of employment.
The UK Ministry of Defence emphasized that this future capability will be one of the most advanced systems ever developed by the United Kingdom. Its purpose is both to enhance conventional deterrence in the European theatre and to protect the UK homeland. The goal is to establish a true Deep Precision Strike (DPS) capability, allowing rapid and precise targeting of strategic assets at long range, thus contributing to a more autonomous and responsive European defence posture.
The Berlin agreement also formalizes a series of concrete short- and medium-term measures. In the near term, the UK and Germany will conduct a comparative exercise to assess their capability requirements, draft joint military specifications, and identify potential areas for industrial cooperation. This process is expected to generate synergies in the development of new long-range weapons, in coordination with their allies. Over the medium term, both countries intend to develop and jointly procure unprecedented DPS capabilities, with significantly enhanced range and precision compared to current systems, and to design a shared doctrine for their deployment, aligned with multilateral initiatives such as the European Sky Shield, NATO procurement programs, and the UK’s DIAMOND Initiative.
The joint communique also highlights other strategic areas of cooperation. In the naval domain, Germany announced plans to acquire British-made Sting Ray lightweight torpedoes to equip its P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft deployed in Scotland. In return, British aircraft will soon be hosted at a German naval air base. These exchanges reflect a shared drive toward growing interoperability and resource pooling along Europe’s northern flank, in response to hybrid threats in the North Sea and Atlantic.
On land, both countries aim to enhance the coordination of their forward-deployed forces in Eastern Europe. They are working together in support coalitions for Ukraine on armored vehicles and drones, and are deepening their integration through initiatives such as joint industrialization, illustrated by Rheinmetall’s forthcoming cannon barrel production facility in the UK.
Germany and the United Kingdom, two of Ukraine’s main military supporters since the Russian invasion began in February 2022, reaffirmed their long-term commitment. The newly announced cooperation also aims to ensure that Kyiv continues to receive offensive capabilities. While the development of the 2,000-km missile is embedded in a long-term European intergovernmental effort, it may indirectly benefit Ukraine’s defense posture in the future.
This joint initiative is part of a broader strategic momentum. The two ministers are expected to meet again the following day, May 16, in Rome for the European Group of Five (E5) Defence Ministers’ meeting, which brings together France, Italy, Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The joint missile project is likely to be discussed there, reinforcing the leadership role of these five nations in shaping Europe’s defence framework at a time when Russian, cyber, and ballistic threats demand a profound rethinking of deterrence postures and strike architectures.
By launching this program, Berlin and London aim to demonstrate that Europe can, through cooperation, develop sovereign and credible capabilities to address 21st-century security challenges. Beyond its technical scope, the 2,000-kilometer missile project represents a significant political signal, one that reflects a shared determination to position defence not only as a security instrument but also as a driver of industrial competitiveness and strategic integration at the continental level.