Confirmed: Ukraine will receive 4 IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany, 2 will arrive this year
Here is the official information: Ukraine will receive four IRIS-T air defense system from Germany. The first set will arrive later this year, followed by the remaining two systems early next year.
DIEHL 2×4 IRIS-T SL launch station on MAN truck. Image credit: Boevaya mashina / CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
German Ambassador to Ukraine Anka Feldhusen confirmed this information in her interview for Radio NV.
“I am very pleased that we will be delivering these four systems. It will protect a large space in Ukraine. We have heard that the first system will definitely be in Ukraine this year, I think so will the second, and the third and fourth – then, at the beginning of the new year,” Feldhusen said. .
Earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would deliver the modern IRIS-T air defense system to Ukraine. First talk about ability to provide These modern air defense platforms arrived in Ukraine already half a year ago. Specifically, the mid-range versions of the missile were mentioned in previous statements
The IRIS-T SL air defense missile complex was developed by Diehl BGT Defense in 2014 and is an upgraded version of the original IRIS-T system. The qualification tests of the IRIS-T SL were completed in January 2015. It is a ground-launched medium-range air defense system capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 40 km (25 miles). ) and at altitudes up to 20 km (12 mi). The purpose of the system is to neutralize various types of enemy aircraft, including helicopters, drones, cruise and ballistic missiles.
IRIS-T is considered one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world. Its modified SL (IRIS-T SL) is a radar-guided version of the missile. Compared to previous versions, the rocket construction has been optimized to reduce drag in the air. The diameter of the rocket engine was increased to 152 mm. Two versions of the missile exist: short range (SLS) and medium range (SLM). The operational testing of the IRIS-T SLM was completed in January 2022. The IRIS-T SLX (long range) variant is currently under development.
The weapon uses a GPS-based inertial navigation system. In the early stages of launch, a radar data link combined with satellite-inertial correction is used to guide the commander. In the final stage, the IRIS-T SLM uses an anti-interference IR detector.
