Germany Looks to buy up to 500 MARS 3 Launchers
Germany’s Bundeswehr intends to submit a budget request in the second half of 2026 to conclude a framework contract with KNDS for the procurement of up to 500 MARS 3, also known as EuroPuls, multiple launch rocket systems, according to reporting by hartpunkt journalist Waldemar Geiger.
Roughly half of the systems included in the framework contract are intended for the Bundeswehr. The remaining systems would be available to allied nations that could procure them under the same contractual conditions as Germany.
Sources familiar with the matter assume that parliamentary consideration of the procurement project is expected in the second half of 2026. The framework contract would allow for phased orders rather than committing to the full quantity at once.
In parallel, Germany’s Defense Ministry is reportedly preparing larger framework contracts for munitions. Observers expect parliamentary review of initial ammunition procurement as early as the first half of 2026.
Well-informed circles indicate that, in an initial step, artillery rockets with a range of 150 kilometers are to be procured for several billion euros. By 2030, the Bundeswehr is expected to receive a low five-digit number of these rockets. In subsequent years, additional deliveries of several thousand rockets per year are reportedly planned.
Observers also assume that in a next phase, longer-range rockets with a range of 300 kilometers, as well as loitering munition systems with comparable reach, are to be procured. There is also an apparent requirement for barrier rockets with a range exceeding 100 kilometers.
Further considerations reportedly include additional variants, such as a rocket equipped with sensor-fuzed munitions similar to SMArt. Such requirements have previously been articulated by Bundeswehr representatives in various forums.
In the medium to longer term, the procurement of rockets or missiles with a range of up to 500 kilometers is viewed as possible. Public details remain limited regarding whether such a requirement will be formally adopted.
The MARS 3 is a next-generation rocket artillery system based on a modular launcher design. It is designed to fire a variety of guided rockets and missiles depending on the selected munition. Germany plans to acquire the system with a domestic fire control system, which would facilitate integration of different types of munitions.
Several potential long-range missile candidates are under development or already in service internationally. MBDA Deutschland has been developing a Joint Fire Support Missile intended for launch from land, air, and sea platforms, with an advertised range of around 500 kilometers.
The RBS15 missile from Saab and the Naval Strike Missile from Kongsberg, both originally designed as anti-ship missiles, have also been mentioned as possible candidates for integration with the MARS 3.