Germany’s air force has ordered 75 powerful US cruise missiles at a cost of eight billion euros, it is the latest of efforts to build up Berlin’s defences in the face of a potential Russia-Nato war.

The JASSM-ER missiles have an estimated range of 900km, making them a near equivalent of the Taurus missile system which Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far flatly refused to send to Ukraine.

It comes after Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, vowed to ensure his country is “kriegstüchtig” [war-ready] via a major increase in funds and resources for the Bundeswehr, the German army. It is amid concerns a war between Moscow and Nato could erupt within five to eight years.

It was not immediately clear whether Berlin had ordered the new missiles for stockpile purposes, or to use them as replacements for an outgoing shipment of missiles to another country.

German media previously reported that Chancellor Scholz has held talks with the UK on a “Ringtausch,” or ring-exchange, whereby Taurus missiles are sent to Britain, which then sends on Storm Shadow missiles to Ukraine.

Though the German government has sought to play down those reports, such a move would allow Germany to indirectly provide Kyiv with more long-range missiles, and without breaking Mr Scholz’s red line on handing over Taurus missiles.

Bild, the German tabloid, said the JASSM-ER missiles could potentially be used as a replacement for Germany’s Taurus missiles stockpile, citing sources familiar with the deal.

It added that Berlin has been interested in buying JASSM-ER missiles from Washington since 2022, and stated that a formal purchase contract is expected to be signed this Autumn.

The JASSM-ER is an air-launched cruise missile, developed by Lockheed Martin, for the United States Air Force [USAF]. Armed with a 1,000 pound [450kg] warhead, the missiles went into service in the USAF in 2009 and have also been sent to armies in Finland, Poland and Austria.

If sent to Germany the missiles would be fitted to its supply of F-35 fighter jets. While they may also be deployed in the future by the Dutch and Japanese armies.

A variant of the JASSM-ER was first deployed in combat, in 2018, during the Syrian civil war when the missiles were fired on chemical weapons targets operated by the Assad regime.

The German defence ministry did not immediately respond to Bild’s report.