Diehl Defence, with partners Hensoldt and Airbus, has delivered the second fire unit of the IRIS-T SLM air defense system to Ukraine.
This means, within six months, two fire units have been handed over to the customer, which has significantly improved the customer’s defense capabilities.
According to Diehl, the IRIS-T SLM system has demonstrated excellent performance in combat conditions since its commissioning in Ukraine. The system is said to have achieved a 100 percent hit rate even in waves of attack with more than 12 targets. The procurement of the system for the German Bundeswehr is also expected.
The high delivery frequency, rapid empowerment and training as well as the exceptional performance of IRIS-T SLM are a result of the solid partnership between the three companies involved. For IRIS-T SLM, Diehl Defence is the general contractor and system integrator of all components; the company also supplies the launcher and the guided missiles. HENSOLDT provides the TRML-4D multi-functional radar. The Integrated Battle Management Software Fire Control (IBMS-FC) for the command post comes from Airbus.
Diehl, Hensoldt and Airbus have been working together for a long time in the field of ground-based air defense systems.
The IRIS-T SLX missile is also under development with a further increase in performance to a range of up to 80 km and an altitude coverage of 30 km. The performance data can be achieved with new effectors through minor adjustments to the radar and command post. As a result, IRIS-T SLM retains its essential characteristics as a medium-range system and can continue to operate with high tactical mobility, deployability of the launchers and multiple target engagement with low manpower requirements. Hensoldt and Airbus are partners of Diehl Defence for IRIS-T SLX.
The joint solutions from Diehl, Airbus and Hensoldt are as purely German systems, independent of foreign technology and therefore offer the highest degree of accreditation and certifiability for operation in Germany and, in addition, the highest possible supply security. At the same time, they are fully compatible with NATO’s integrated air defense architecture and have demonstrated their interoperability.
