BERLIN (Reuters) -The German government has started the ordering process for 75 new JASSM-ER cruise missiles from the United States, German daily Bild reported on Tuesday.
Without citing its sources, Bild said the purchase could replace existing Taurus missiles in the long term and comes after the German government in 2022 expressed an interest to the US government in purchasing F-35 jets and missiles associated with it.
The purchase price for the entire package is more than 8 billion euros ($8.67 billion), according to Bild.
Several air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles were ordered along with the F-35s, but the process for the JASSM missiles was delayed, reported Bild.
An official purchase contract is now expected this autumn, it said.
A German defence ministry spokesperson said that the procurement of an extensive mix of weapons, including an air-to-ground component, is planned as part of acquiring the F-35A.
"The relevant contracts have not yet been concluded in full, and it is not possible to anticipate any open decisions," said the spokesperson.
($1 = 0.9223 euros)
(Reporting by Andrey Sychev and Andreas RinkeWriting by Madeline Chambers and Miranda Murray; editing by Matthias Williams)
