Germany is negotiating with Covenant, a U.S.-Israeli startup, over the Anthem ground-launched cruise missile as Berlin seeks near-term options to strengthen long-range strike capabilities. Covenant says Anthem is production-ready with weekly flight tests and targets mid-six-figure unit pricing; German serial production is slated to begin in Q1 2027, with some global deliveries possibly in 2026. The planned Leipzig facility and the announcement have provoked political debate in eastern Germany amid recent AfD electoral gains. Key technical, logistical and buyer details remain unconfirmed by Covenant.
Germany In Talks With Covenant Over Anthem Cruise Missile As Leipzig Facility Sparks Political Debate
Anthem, a long-range cruise missile carrying a heavy payload, makes a test flight at a range of defense startup Covenant at an undisclosed location June 30, 2026. (Covenant/Handout via Reuters)
The German military is negotiating with Covenant, a U.S.-Israeli venture-capital-backed startup, over its ground-launched Anthem cruise missile, the German Defense Ministry confirmed. Covenant says Anthem is production-ready and that flight tests are taking place weekly — claims that, if validated, could help Berlin close a near-term gap in long-range strike capabilities.
What Covenant Is Offering
Covenant markets Anthem as a lower-cost, rapidly producible cruise missile. Company executives have reportedly set a mid-six-figure target price per unit for serial production, compared with current-generation Taurus missiles that cost around $1 million or more. Covenant says the weapon is being flight-tested regularly and that production lines are established in multiple countries.
"Anthem is built on local production lines so allied governments buy directly from an industrial base they can rely on," the company states on its website.
Production, Timeline And Logistics
Covenant was founded in 2024 and has operated in "stealth mode" until this announcement. Reuters reporting indicates the company employs about 200 people and had advertised several positions, including roles in Germany. Covenant's primary facility is in Grand Prairie, Texas, with a third plant in Israel.
A Berlin-based lobbying firm handling Covenant's local media enquiries said German serial production is scheduled to begin in Q1 2027, while a company spokesman told media that some "global customers" could receive Anthems as early as 2026. Local reporting has identified a leased industrial site north of Leipzig, near Leipzig-Halle Airport, as the planned German facility.
Local outlet Tag24 reported that the Leipzig site will not handle explosives, which could allow it to be classified under local rules as a metalworking facility rather than a munitions factory. Covenant has declined to clarify where propellant and warhead integration for European-produced missiles would take place, or whether those final assembly steps would occur inside Germany or abroad.
How Anthem Would Fit Into Germany's Plans
Germany has emphasized Lockheed Martin's Typhon ground-launcher system as a cornerstone of its envisioned ground-based strike architecture. Typhon launchers can fire a range of munitions, including Tomahawk cruise missiles with ranges in excess of 1,500 kilometres. Anthem is also reported to be ground-launched, though Covenant did not provide details on its launcher in response to requests.
Political Sensitivities
The timing and location of Covenant's German plans have prompted political debate in eastern Germany, where the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has recently gained ground in local elections. The AfD combines rhetoric of peace with support for a strong national defense — so long as Russian interests are not perceived to be threatened — generating friction when foreign defense firms expand in the region.
"We do not demonize the production of military equipment across the board, because we will, of course, need the necessary auxiliary means for later remigration and deportation campaigns," said Ulrich Siegmund, the AfD leader who led the party to victory in Saxony-Anhalt, remarks that have been widely criticized as controversial.
Open Questions
- How Anthem would be integrated into Bundeswehr doctrine and logistics remains unclear.
- Precise launch-system details, where explosive integration would occur, and potential European buyers have not been disclosed by Covenant.
- Independent verification of the company's production-readiness and pricing claims is still pending.
As negotiations continue, Germany faces competing timelines: an updated air-launched Taurus missile remains years from deployment, U.S. Tomahawk availability is uncertain after extensive operational use, and the pan-European ELSA project is in early stages. Covenant's Anthem — if verified and deliverable on the proposed timeline — could offer a faster, lower-cost option to bolster Germany's long-range strike capacity.
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