U.S. Approves $1.23 Billion Missile Deal With Germany
The United States has approved a U.S.-Germany missile deal authorizing a $1.23 billion sale of advanced air-to-air missiles to Germany. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) confirmed that Berlin requested up to 400 AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM missiles and associated equipment – including 12 guidance sections with anti-spoofing/M-code capability, one integrated test vehicle, telemetry kits, containers, encrypted communications gear, spare parts, software, and support. RTX Corp, also known as Raytheon, is named as the prime contractor. The State Department noted that this sale will enhance Germany’s capability to address current and future threats by providing increased air-to-air capabilities for the German F-35 program and will also support shared NATO training and operations.
The AIM-120D-3 is the latest, extended-range, version of the AMRAAM family, featuring GPS-aided navigation and two-way data-link guidance. Germany plans to field these weapons on its incoming F-35A Lightning II fighters, procured to replace Tornado jets and fulfil NATO nuclear sharing obligations. DSCA noted that Germany will have no difficulty absorbing these articles into its armed forces. In fact, German defense authorities had previously approved billions of dollars in AMRAAM purchases for Eurofighter Typhoons. This package includes not only missiles but a complete support package – from training and technical documents to software and test sets – to speed deployment alongside the new jets.
Strategically, the sale underscores deepening NATO defense cooperation at a time of rising threats. German F-35s armed with the newest AMRAAMs will bolster NATO’s collective deterrence and interoperability. Equipping front-line units with a networked, long-range air-to-air missile signals that NATO intends to hold airspace at range and can regenerate combat power quickly. The U.S. DSCA release explicitly ties this sale to U.S. foreign policy goals – improving the stability and defense of a NATO ally – reflecting an alliance-wide effort to deter aggression.
The timeline for this foreign military sale will follow Germany’s fighter delivery schedule. Congress has 30 days to review the notification, after which final contracting can proceed. Germany is on track to begin receiving F-35As by the mid-2020s, with its Ministry of Defense reporting that flight operations with the F-35 will start around 2027 once airbase infrastructure is completed.