Diehl Defence confirmed that the frigate Baden-Württemberg (F222), the first unit of the F125 class, successfully launched an IRIS-T SLM missile in its navalized version. The test took place as part of the Maritime Firing Exercise 2025 (MFE), considered the largest missile firing exercise conducted by the German Navy in three decades.
The addition of this capability directly responds to lessons learned in the Red Sea, where the German Navy participated in the European Aspides mission to protect maritime traffic from drone and missile attacks by the Houthis. During that deployment, the Hessen (F221) frigate of the Sachsen class took the lead role in air defense, while the F125s were sidelined due to their limited anti-air capabilities. In fact, the Baden-Württemberg itself avoided transiting through the high-risk zone during its Indo-Pacific 2024 deployment, returning to Europe via the Cape of Good Hope to avoid exposing this vulnerability.
The system tested corresponds to an AAW (Anti-Air Warfare) module developed in record time—less than ten months from concept to integration—and mounted on the frigate’s C deck. The IRIS-T SLM, already combat-proven in Ukraine in its land-based version, demonstrated a high hit rate against aerial targets at sea, validating its potential as a point and short-range area defense enhancement.
With an effective range of 40 km and a ceiling of 20 km, the IRIS-T SLM significantly expands the coverage of the F125s, which until now relied almost exclusively on the RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) system, with a range of only 9 km.
The successful test of the navalized IRIS-T SLM represents a qualitative leap for the F125 class, originally designed for stabilization missions and low-intensity operations, but criticized for its limited self-defense capability against modern threats. The integration of this system not only improves the survivability of the frigates but also reinforces Germany’s credibility as a partner in multinational operations, especially in high-threat scenarios such as the Red Sea.
You might also be interested in: Germany’s new F127 frigates will be equipped with advanced SPY-6(V)1 radars
