Trump's pullback spurs Berlin's missile hunt in Israel and Ukraine

According to German defence ministry documents reviewed by Politico, procurement officials have requested proposals from the low-profile US-Israeli firm Covenant. They are also evaluating Ukraine’s FP-5 Flamingo and the BARS missile drone. Covenant’s Anthem missile was expected to undergo testing in Israel during the third week of June, with German officials invited to attend. Meanwhile, Fire Point’s ground-launched Flamingo is advertised with a 3,000-kilometer range and a payload of roughly one tonne. The Associated Press previously documented the weapon at a covert factory, though its stated capabilities are still largely based on company data. The manufacturer of the BARS drone was not identified.

The reported procurement strategy consists of four tracks. These include a low-cost cruise missile for initial service in 2027, the US Typhon launcher and Tomahawk option around 2029, an advanced Anglo-German cruise missile around 2032, and a hypersonic system around 2035. This renewed urgency follows Trump’s reported reversal of the 2024 Biden-Scholz plan, which originally called for the temporary US deployment of SM-6 missiles, Tomahawks, and developmental hypersonic weapons starting in 2026. Crucially, German government spokespeople noted in May that Berlin’s separate request to purchase the Typhon system remains open.

The Ukrainian option is already developing an industrial footprint. Diehl Defence states it is in discussions with Fire Point to produce the Flamingo in Germany. Berlin is therefore not simply looking for a substitute missile. Instead, the government is actively building parallel supply chains, with speed, volume, and local production driving the final shortlist.