Germany has moved to strengthen both its air combat and ground-based air defense capabilities through new procurement contracts with Diehl Defence for the IRIS-T guided missile family.
The acquisitions span multiple contract lines, covering fighter-launched IRIS-T missiles for the Eurofighter and Tornado fleets, as well as interceptor missiles for the IRIS-T SLS and IRIS-T SLM air defense systems, supporting Germany’s layered air defense architecture.
The deal expands on a 2023 long-term framework agreement for more than 1,200 missiles, designed to restore national inventories after large-scale transfers to Ukraine. Under the framework, deliveries will continue through 2030, with the first new missiles entering service in 2026.
IRIS-T began life as a next-generation short-range air-to-air missile, offering high agility and imaging-infrared guidance, before being adapted into ground-based interceptor variants. This evolution created a modular missile family supporting both aerial combat and surface-based air defense missions.
Today, the IRIS-T SLS provides short-range 360-degree protection against aircraft, cruise missiles, helicopters, and drones, while the IRIS-T SLM forms the medium-range defense layer, countering threats at distances of up to 60 km and altitudes of up to 20 km.
With 21 countries now operating IRIS-T systems, Diehl Defence has committed €1.5 billion toward scaling up production capacity to meet sustained European and global demand.
