As part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, Switzerland has procured five IRIS-T SLM surface-to-air missile systems.
Germany’s arms procurement agency facilitated the deal by signing the agreement with Diehl Defence, the German manufacturer of the system, on behalf of its Swiss counterpart. Although the cost of the acquisition hasn’t been publicly revealed, the Swiss government previously allocated a credit guarantee of 660 million Swiss Francs ($832 million) in its 2024 defense spending plan to support medium-range air defense.
The IRIS-T SLM system is a surface-launched adaptation of the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, incorporating a missile launcher, radar array, and command and control infrastructure. It can engage aerial targets such as helicopters, cruise missiles, and fighter jets at distances up to 40 kilometers and altitudes reaching 20 kilometers.
With this acquisition, Switzerland becomes the latest country to adopt the IRIS-T SLM, alongside Germany, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, Bulgaria, and others.
