Germany is preparing to purchase an initial batch of Ukrainian-made Bars long-range cruise missiles for testing by its armed forces. If the initial trials are successful, Berlin could order several hundred missiles, the Financial Times reported on October 26.
According to the newspaper, an agreement to purchase a small initial batch is expected to be signed in the coming weeks. The Bundeswehr could begin technical trials in early 2027.
Bars is a Ukrainian-developed jet-powered cruise missile. The FT reported that it may have a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and carry a payload weighing up to 105 kilograms.
Those specifications were reported by the newspaper based on sources familiar with the development and have not been independently verified by Potok.
The missiles are already being manufactured in Germany by a joint Ukrainian-German venture. The first batch, financed by Germany, was delivered to Ukraine in October 2026.
Germany is now considering using the Ukrainian design for its own armed forces. If the plans proceed, it would be among the first known instances of the Bundeswehr acquiring Ukrainian offensive weapons.
Germany has significantly increased defense spending and accelerated rearmament in recent years. The reasons include Russia's invasion of Ukraine, changes in Europe's security environment and concerns about the future role of the United States in defending its allies.
Ukrainian manufacturers, meanwhile, have gained experience developing relatively inexpensive long-range strike systems under the conditions of modern warfare. European militaries are showing growing interest in that experience.
According to the FT, Germany is examining Ukrainian systems as a possible supplement to more expensive foreign missiles, whose procurement and production require considerable resources and time.
No final contract has yet been signed to supply Bars missiles to the Bundeswehr. The size, cost and timetable of any larger order will depend on the trials and subsequent decisions by the German government.