MBDA is expanding its Schrobenhausen site in Bavaria to roughly 100 hectares to accelerate production of Patriot interceptors, Taurus Neo cruise missiles and other weapons for Germany and NATO allies. The company is investing €2.4 billion across European sites through 2029 to double missile output capacity.
What's happening
- MBDA Deutschland is expanding Schrobenhausen to approximately 100 hectares with new production areas and manufacturing technology for air defense and strike weapons.
- The joint venture COMLOG, formed by MBDA Deutschland and Raytheon, is building a 31,000-square-meter production hall for Patriot PAC-2 GEM-T interceptors with €250 million investment.
- NATO Support and Procurement Agency has ordered up to 1,000 PAC-2 GEM-T interceptors from COMLOG for Germany, Netherlands, Romania and Spain.
- Production of Patriot PAC-3 MSE missiles is set to begin at Schrobenhausen in late 2026.
- Taurus Neo cruise missile series production is planned from 2029 after Germany signs contract for approximately 600 missiles valued at around €2 billion.
- Schrobenhausen will assemble DefendAir anti-drone missiles for Rheinmetall and hosts the only non-UK final assembly line for Brimstone 3 precision strike missiles.
Why it matters
- Doubling European missile production capacity between 2023 and 2025, with further €2.4 billion investment through 2029, addresses acute NATO air defense and strike weapon shortfalls.
- Establishing a consolidated German missile hub consolidates supply chain resilience and reduces production fragmentation across multiple European sites.
- Ramping PAC-2 and PAC-3 output addresses critical air defense needs for Germany, NATO allies and Ukraine under separate orders.
- Early Taurus Neo production from 2029 provides Germany and Sweden with long-range precision strike capability against sustained continental threats.
Going deeper
- Schrobenhausen currently develops, builds, maintains and upgrades air defense systems, guided missiles and laser weapons for the Bundeswehr and NATO partners.
- COMLOG's Patriot GEM-T line is Europe's first production facility for this interceptor variant, supporting Raytheon's €3.7 billion order for Ukraine.
- The plant also produces the Enforcer shoulder-fired missile and hosts final assembly for multiple NATO-compatible precision strike systems.
- German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius visited Schrobenhausen on Oct. 29 as part of a broader tour of defense companies in Bavaria.
Financial impact
- MBDA plans €2.4 billion (approximately $2.68 billion) in European investment between 2025 and 2029 to expand missile production capacity across multiple sites including Schrobenhausen.
- COMLOG invested €250 million (approximately $280 million) in the 31,000-square-meter PAC-2 GEM-T production hall at Schrobenhausen.
- Germany plans to procure approximately 600 Taurus Neo missiles for approximately €2 billion (approximately $2.23 billion) with production starting in 2029, recognizing revenue over the production period.
- The expansion cost, job creation and completion timeline remain undisclosed.
The intrigue
- Schrobenhausen becomes a critical single point for multiple allied air defense supply chains, creating both resilience and concentration risk if production faces disruption.
- Timeline to full capacity across new production areas and manufacturing technology is not disclosed, leaving uncertainty about when output gains materialize.
The fine print
- COMLOG's Patriot GEM-T order covers up to 1,000 interceptors for four NATO nations, with no disclosed schedule for delivery phases.
- Taurus Neo production begins in 2029, not immediately; Germany's procurement of approximately 600 units assumes no program delays.
- MBDA has not disclosed expansion completion dates, job creation or specific capex allocation between air defense and strike systems.
Source: defence-blog.com · Oct 30, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.
