German Taurus cruise missiles have been making headlines in recent months amid speculation that Berlin would provide these long-range weapons to Kiev.
European missile manufacturer MBDA has suspended the manufacturing of Taurus cruise missiles due to contracting issues, Der Spiegel has reported.
According to the magazine, this development came as MBDA urges the German federal government to speed up the process of drawing up weapon procurement orders.
The company’s German branch head Thomas Gottschild reportedly pointed out that defense contractors cannot produce stocks without orders being placed first.
“The arms industry needs a base load in production,” he said. «It’s enough to make it worthwhile to maintain supply chains, keep test equipment state-of-the-art and maintain the competence of employees.»
Earlier this month, however, Die Welt revealed that only half of about 600 Taurus missiles Germany currently has are ready for use.
Meanwhile, Berlin continues to resist calls from its NATO allies to provide Taurus missiles to Ukraine, although a group of high-ranking German officers recently discussed the logistics of supplying these weapons to Kiev.
