The Bundeswehr and TAURUS Systems GmbH, a joint venture between European missile house MBDA and Sweden’s Saab, announced on 20 December 2024 that they have signed a contract for the maintenance and modernisation of the TAURUS KEPD 350 air-launched cruise missiles.
Work under the contract will ensure the weapon’s operational readiness until at least 2045, with a central component of the contract being the comprehensive modernisation of TAURUS cruise missiles used by Germany’s Luftwaffe. In addition to maintenance, the system will receive technological upgrades to meet the increasing demands placed on modern weapon systems, MBDA stated in a press release.
The Bundeswehr is strengthening its stand-off weapon capability with the measures commissioned, as the TAURUS air-launched cruise missile, which can attack targets with precision at ranges of over 500 km, enables the Luftwaffe to overcome enemy air defence systems from a safe distance, minimising the risks to pilots and platforms.
In particular, the TAURUS missile is designed to penetrate thick, hardened air defences via a very-low-level terrain-following flight profile, day or night and in any weather, to neutralise high-value point and area targets using what MBDA refers to as a “highly effective 481 kg dual-stage warhead system”, known as Mephisto. The weapon is especially applicable to targeting bridges and runways.
As well as being used by the Luftwaffe, the TAURUS KEPD 350 is also in service with the air forces of Spain and South Korea.
The acronym TAURUS stands for Target Adaptive Unitary and dispenser Robotic Ubiquity System.
