The recent meeting held between officials from Argentina’s Ministry of Defense and representatives of Diehl Defence may be a starting point for the German manufacturer’s products in Argentina, among them the IRIS-T air-to-air missile to arm the new F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters of the Argentine Air Force.
During the meeting held between Lieutenant Colonel (R) Lic. Daniel Enrique Martella, Secretary of International Affairs for Defense, and Engineer Helmut Rauch, CEO of Diehl Defence, the German company “…presented its advanced-technology products, placing special emphasis on air-to-air missiles and its air defense systems…,” detailed the Defense portfolio.
In addition to the requirements for short- and medium-range defense systems by the Argentine Armed Forces, Diehl Defence can also cover the air-to-air missile niche with the IRIS-T. This solution could be adopted for the Argentine Air Force’s F-16 AM/BM Fighting Falcons, as an option or complement to the U.S.-origin AIM-9M Sidewinder.
It is worth recalling that the Argentine Air Force submitted a request to purchase a weapons package for its F-16 fighters, an initiative communicated in due course by the U.S. Department of State in October 2024. The package contemplated the acquisition of AIM-120-C8 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles, 500-pound MK-82 general-purpose bombs and GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs, tactical radios, and assorted equipment.
Notably, at this first stage no request was submitted for short-range AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, armament that could be contemplated in the purchase from the government of Denmark or planned for a second phase. However, the availability of the U.S. missile does not exclude the possibility of it being complemented by the IRIS-T, as some F-16 MLU users have already done, such as Norway and Thailand, for example.
IRIS-T air-to-air missile
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T is a 5th-generation missile developed jointly by Germany, Sweden, Greece, and Norway. Canada would withdraw from the project, while Spain would join as a partner for the acquisition process. The initial steps for the development of the IRIS-T were taken in the 1990s, with its first examples entering service in 2005.
Conceived as a replacement or complement to the AIM-9 Sidewinder, the IRIS-T was designed with a diameter, length, mass, center of gravity, and interface compatible with that of the U.S. missile. However, the missile also incorporated various innovations in order to offer the necessary capabilities for a latest-generation, all-aspect short-range air-to-air missile.
Among the IRIS-T’s highlights is its high-resolution infrared seeker, which provides target discrimination capability and resistance to all types of countermeasures. According to the manufacturer, its acquisition range is compatible with the missile’s entire kinematic range, which would exceed 25 kilometers.
With regard to maneuverability and speed, the combination of a solid-propellant motor and thrust vector control grants it notable agility (+60g) to defeat various classes of targets. The IRIS-T can reach a maximum speed of Mach 3. Its lethality is ensured by a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, which operates with a direct-impact mechanism and a proximity fuze sensor.
Among F-16 Fighting Falcon users, Norway, Greece, and Thailand have opted for the IRIS-T. In the Norwegian case, with the replacement of its F-16 AM/BM by F-35A Lightning II, the missiles were donated to Ukraine. For its part, the Royal Thai Air Force is another of the countries that operates the IRIS-T on its F-16 MLU.
Manufacture and maintenance of AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles
Over the years, Diehl Defence has also engaged in the manufacture of the various variants of the AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missile. Currently, the company provides maintenance and modernization of AIM-9L missiles through its subsidiary Diehl Retrofit Missile Systeme.
*Illustrative cover image. Credits: Forsvaret – Torbjørn Kjosvold
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