Taurus KEPD 350: Explaining Germany's 'bunker buster' missile touted for Ukraine

The Taurus aviation cruise missile, known as the 'bunker buster', has the capability to penetrate air defences, delivering a deep hammer-like blow to the enemy.

With its dual-stage warhead system, the first part is designed to bust through hard or deeply buried targets, the second produces fragmentation damage at a specific level of a building or bunker, thanks to what the manufacturer says is the world's only multi-programmable fuse.

Those calling for its delivery to Ukraine say that with a range of just over 310 miles, it will allow the targeting of Russian military infrastructure far behind the frontlines.

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Ukraine has been pushing Germany to supply the long-range Taurus missiles which would give its forces more deep-strike capabilities.

So far, Germany has resisted the calls to send the missiles, with former UK defence secretary Ben Wallace among those urging Berlin to provide Ukraine with the weapons.

"Every time Russia strikes civilians & breaks international law by targeting civilian infrastructure in Ukraine there needs to be a response," he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"We did that with Starstreak and Storm Shadow. Germany should now send their Taurus missile systems to Ukraine and join the UK and France."

In the video above, Forces News takes a look at what Taurus could give the Ukrainians if delivered.