Bloomberg: US approves potential $3.5 billion missile sale to Germany

The Trump administration has approved the potential sale of up to $3.5 billion in standard missiles to Germany, which is seeking to bolster its military capabilities.

Berlin has requested the purchase of as many as 173 Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Block I missiles and 577 Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC missiles, both manufactured by RTX Corp., along with associated equipment, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), quoted by Bloomberg, announced on November 14.

According to the DSCA, the proposed sale would enable Germany to address “current and future threats by providing integrated air and missile defence capabilities deployable from their future Aegis Weapon System-equipped F127 class surface combatants.” The sale would also enhance Germany’s ability to operate in conjunction with the US and allied forces.

The $3.5 billion figure represents the maximum potential value of the transaction. Final contractual terms still need to be negotiated between the German government and defence contractors, and Congress retains the authority to block the sale.

US officials have been urging European NATO members to take on greater responsibility for the continent’s defence, including supplying weapons to Ukraine.

In October, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told allies in Brussels that a strong Europe is essential to deterring further Russian aggression. 

Earlier, in June, NATO allies agreed to increase overall defence spending to 5% of GDP, including 3.5% dedicated to so-called hard defence capabilities.

By Tamilla Hasanova