23 January 2024

Germany to equip Eurofighters with Brimstone

by Gareth Jennings

Germany is to join Spain and the UK in integrating the Brimstone air-to-surface missile onto its Eurofighter combat aircraft. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

Germany is to equip its Eurofighter combat aircraft with the MBDA Brimstone air-to-surface missile, the government revealed on 17 January.

Revealed in Bundeswehr budgetary documents disclosed by Der Spiegel, the Luftwaffe intends to acquire 274 of the low-yield missiles to equip its Eurofighter fleet, with a contract to be awarded in the second quarter (Q2) of 2024.

No further details of the planned procurement were disclosed, but with the Brimstone requiring the Phase 2 Enhancement (P2E) capability package, the missile will be compatible with all of the Luftwaffe's 70 Tranche 2, 31 Tranche 3, and 38 Tranche 4 (Project Quadriga) jets.

Germany joins Spain and the UK in selecting the Brimstone for its Eurofighters, with the fourth partner country Italy yet to announce a decision on the missile. Export customer Qatar too selected the Brimstone for its Eurofighters, though none of the other four export countries of Austria, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia have so far opted for the missile.

Although not disclosed in the budgetary documents, the standard of Brimstone to be integrated by the Luftwaffe is likely to be the latest 3A missile that will be fitted to Spanish and UK aircraft as well. The Brimstone 3A is intended to progressively replace Brimstone 2 on the Eurofighter (currently, only the UK Royal Air Force [RAF] carries the missile on the aircraft). An MBDA spokesperson previously told Janes

Germany is to equip its Eurofighter combat aircraft with the MBDA Brimstone air-to-surface missile, ...

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