Home Europe Germany’s Diehl Defence tests upgraded ground-launched IRIS-T missile

Germany’s Diehl Defence tests upgraded ground-launched IRIS-T missile

IRIS-T SLM launch
Photo: Diehl Defence

German missile specialist Diehl Defence says it has completed operational testing of its IRIS-T SLM (surface-launched medium range) missile that has been further developed to operate as part of a ground-based air defense system.

The benchmark was set at the end of 2021, the company said, adding that the system demonstrated efficiency under realistic operating conditions during several test firings.

IRIS-T SLM complements the IRIS-T SLS (SLS standing for short range) air defense system which has been in operation for several years among Scandinavian customers.

The IRIS-T SLM also benefits from a higher range, as the latest test firing proved, according to Diehl Defence.

Diehl’s air defense systems provide protection for buildings, objects as well as ground troops against attacks from the air. The IRIS-T missile was originally developed as an air-to-air weapon for fighter aircraft, but the company developed the surface-launched IRIS-T SL variant for Germany’s Tactical Air Defence System (TLVS). A complete IRIS-T SLM system was first successfully tested in 2014.