Germany considers powerful Taurus missile delivery to Ukraine
The new German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, in an interview with ZDF, did not rule out the potential delivery of Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missiles to Ukraine. Here, we explore the capabilities of this weapon and its potential benefits for Ukraine.
During the ZDF interview, Chancellor Merz acknowledged that supplying Ukraine with Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missiles is a possibility for the coming months. He also noted that deploying these missiles would require several months of training for the Ukrainians in their use.
A competitor for the Storm Shadow created through German and Swedish collaboration
The Taurus KEPD 350 cruise missile is the outcome of a collaboration between Germany and Sweden that began in the 1990s. This partnership emerged after political decisions in the 1980s led to the abandonment of a long-range weapons development project with France.
When Germany withdrew from that programme, the British stepped in, resulting in the creation of the Storm Shadow missile. Germany then partnered with Sweden to develop its own missile, leading to the introduction of the Taurus KEPD 350 in 2005, the name meaning Kinetic Energy Penetration Destroyer.
Taurus KEPD 350 - similar to the Storm Shadow, yet different
The Taurus KEPD 350 is notable for its range exceeding 310 miles and its stealth technology. It is a missile measuring 16 feet in length and weighing 3,086 pounds. Designed to be launched from aircraft, it is equipped with a turbojet engine and folding wings. Once launched, it is intended to fly at low altitudes at subsonic speeds between 0.8 and 0.9 Mach.
Although this range might not appear impressive compared to other designs, its stealth technology and ability to fly at just a few dozen feet above terrain, exploiting features such as riverbeds and ravines, make it a challenging target to detect.
Navigation in these conditions is supported by an inertial and satellite navigation system, as well as an optoelectronic head featuring a fourth-generation infrared sensor (IIR or Imaging Infrared). This sensor enables thermal imaging of the target and mapping of the surrounding area, ensuring both pinpoint accuracy during the final phase of flight and precise navigation even without satellite input, provided the missile has an updated digital terrain map.
These features are in line with the highly valued Storm Shadow missiles used by the Ukrainians. However, Taurus offers a distinctive feature globally with its MEPHISTO warhead, weighing 1,058 pounds. This stands for Multi-Effect Penetrator Highly Sophisticated and Target Optimised, notably its fuse.
This unique feature allows for detonation on impact, mid-air, or with a delay, such as after penetrating two walls. The fuse includes sensors capable of identifying obstacles and voids, thereby facilitating precise detonation at specified depths within a bunker. This is revolutionary in the missile domain, where timing delays are manually set based on estimates like bunker wall thickness.
This innovation reduces the risk of incorrect detonation delay settings, significantly enhancing the likelihood of a successful strike on command posts or bridges. In one instance, a bridge survived an attack because the Storm Shadow missile's warhead detonated incorrectly; with Taurus, such a problem would be avoided.
