BERLIN, Germany: Covenant missile production in Germany is set to begin in early 2027 as the defence startup expands manufacturing of its Anthem cruise missile for European customers.
The company plans to manufacture the missiles at a facility in eastern Saxony. Covenant co-founder and Chief Executive Michael Kaufman told Reuters that the company aims to reach a production run rate of 5,000 missiles a year during 2028.
The expansion comes as European NATO members seek to replenish long-range weapons inventories and increase regional production capacity.
Kaufman said the Saxony operation would rely almost entirely on European suppliers. Less than 5% of its bill of materials currently comes from outside Europe, with Covenant aiming to reduce that share to zero.
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Covenant said the ground-launched Anthem can carry a payload of more than 200 kilograms. The company has not publicly disclosed its range, saying only that the weapon is designed for European requirements.
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The company also said it is developing a naval version of the Anthem. Covenant President and Chief Growth Officer Abby Denburg.
Reuters said that the company’s strategy centres on building enough manufacturing capacity to sustain larger missile inventories over extended periods.