At the end of January, the German company Diehl Defence announced that it had been awarded a new contract for the development of the Block II version of the IRIS-T missile, which will be equipped on the fighter jets of the Air Forces of Germany, Spain, Italy, and Sweden. This contract was signed by the four partners through Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), which, thanks to joint work with the company and the IRIS-T Project Management Office, significantly accelerated the signing process.
Regarding the agreement, the official statement issued by Diehl Defence states: “The IRIS-T project reflects the capability of European cooperation in the defense sector and demonstrates the excellent developments that the European defense industry is capable of achieving. As the prime contractor for the IRIS-T program, Diehl Defence is a competent partner that will continue to play its leading role in the future development of the missile.”
However, both the company and BAAINBw have refrained from providing further details regarding the funds committed to the development, the timeline for its completion, or the specific new features of the missile under the new variant. For now, it has only been stated that the missile will undergo constant improvements while maintaining its original air-to-air function as the primary foundation for its advancement.
It is worth recalling that the IRIS-T systems already have a broad range of users, even beyond the signatories of the new agreement. Specifically, the system has been acquired by 13 countries, with more than 5,000 units delivered. This is not only significant from a commercial standpoint but also means that the missile is compatible with various aircraft models currently in service, including the Eurofighter, Gripen, Tornado, EF-18, KF-21, F-5E, and F-16 fighters.
Finally, reviewing its current capabilities, it should be noted that the IRIS-T missiles were designed as successors to the U.S. Air Intercept Missile (AIM)-9X Sidewinder, officially entering service in 2005. In its original configuration, the system is capable of neutralizing both enemy aircraft and missiles launched from the ground or the air, achieving the latter thanks to the integration of its modern infrared seeker with an assisted proximity fuse. Regarding its range, the variant used by fighter jets can engage targets up to 25 kilometers away, a distance it can cover at speeds of Mach 3.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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