Germany's shift on supplying Ukraine with TAURUS KEPD 350 missiles: a critical view

The first whispers of Germany potentially supplying Ukraine with potent TAURUS KEPD 350 cruise missiles began circulating in the first half of 2023. However, a definitive decision was not reached because of reluctance from MPs of the SPD party, which forms the bulk of the current government.

The British endeavoured to navigate the complication by offering larger shipments of Storm Shadow missiles in exchange for German missiles. It now appears that the death of Alexei Navalny acted as the tipping point in gaining the SPD's support for supplying Ukraine with these crucial missiles, capable of striking targets deep within Russian territory.

The Taurus KEPD 350 is the fruition of a cruise missile cooperation project between Berlin and Stockholm, initiated in the 1990s. Germany's aspiration to own a cruise missile led them to join the French Apache missile program back in the 1980s, eventually metamorphosing into the Storm Shadow.

Yet, due to political reasons, Germany withdrew from the programme and opted to devise its unique solution in partnership with Sweden. The outcome is the Taurus KEPD 350, short for Kinetic Energy Penetration Destroyer, which entered service in 2005.

The missile has a range exceeding 500 kilometres (approximately 311 miles), crafted using stealth technology and suited to aircraft launch. Its measurement stands at about 5 metres, with a weight of approximately 1400 kilograms, where roughly 480 kilograms constitute the dual-function MEPHISTO (Multi-Effect Penetrator Highly Sophisticated and Target Optimised) warhead.

The warhead possesses the capacity to detonate akin to a traditional fragmentation warhead upon target impact and explode in mid-air, dispersing a wide-ranging shrapnel area or a delayed detonation. This operational method is akin to the Storm Shadow, but the Taurus KEPD 350 has a unique feature for attacking bunkers that competitors lack.

Contrary to other missiles that require manual delay setting based on target specifics, the Taurus missile offers a "detonate after overcoming the second obstacle" option. The MEPHISTO warhead has sensors that recognise obstacles and voids, eliminating room for error and boosting the attack's efficacy.

A turbojet engine guarantees the missile's delivery to the target. Propelling it at high subsonic speeds (approximately 0.8-0.9 Ma) even at altitudes of several dozens of metres. The missile also encompasses a sophisticated guidance system incorporating the widely used inertial and satellite navigation duo. To counteract jamming, it also uses an optoelectronic head featuring a fourth-generation IR (IIR) sensor that "visualises" the thermal image of the target.

This feature offers guidance in the flight's final phase and confirmation of a successful attack on targets. It is also deployed for terrain mapping, contrasted with a preloaded digital map. Though implementing such a system is pricey, it enables missile usage even when GPS navigation is unavailable or jammed.

Such a device would truly be a valuable asset for the Ukrainians, that could, amongst other benefits, effectively target the Crimean Bridge. It's highly likely the missiles would be launched from Su-24s, already being equipped with Storm Shadow.