Slovenia formalized, on January 25, the order of an IRIS-T SLM anti-aircraft system with the German BAAINBw, the federal office of the Bundeswehr for the acquisition of defense technologies, and the industrialist Diehl Defense. This order comes as part of the European Sky Shield (IESS) initiative launched by Germany in August 2022, which Ljubljana joined from its launch.
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Crowned with remarkable combat effectiveness in Ukraine, the IRIS-T SLM system has already been chosen in recent months by Germany, Estonia and Latvia, and could experience significant success in the months and years to come, thanks to a perfectly oiled commercial and industrial strategy of formidable efficiency.
The IRIS-T SLM medium- and short-range anti-aircraft system from Diehl Defense
Designed from 2007 as part of the MEADS program which also gave birth to the Patriot PAC-3 MSE, the short and medium range anti-aircraft system IRIS-T Surface-Launched Medium Range, or SLM, is based on like the NASAMS or the MICA VL, on a short-range air-to-air missile, the German IRIS-T.
It entered service in 2022, and consists of the high-performance TRML-3D 4D radar designed by Hensoldt, truck-mounted mobile transporter-erector launchers each using 8 missiles, and the infrared-guided IRIS-T missile. , particularly agile thanks to vector thrust, having inertial navigation and a data link.
With a range of 40 km and a ceiling of 20 km, the IRIS-T has proven to be very effective and reactive in Ukraine, which is implementing three systems of this type, in particular against Russian cruise missiles. What's more, and unlike other systems like the Franco-Italian SAMP/T Mamba, theUkrainian IRIS-T SLMs regularly receive new missiles, so that they remain active and efficient, to carry out their missions.
The central pivot of the European Sky Shield Initiative and German commercial strategy
If the performances of the IRIS-T SLM in Ukraine contribute to the commercial success of the system already chosen, for export, by three European countries, they constitute only one of the arguments available to Diehl Defense to promote it on the European and international scene. .
Thus, the German industrialist has carefully planned his industrial production, so as to permanently maintain production slots. Thus, any new incoming order can be processed within relatively short periods of time.
In the context of tension and rapid modernization of Western armed forces, particularly within NATO, this criterion of short deadlines obviously plays a key role in supporting the attractiveness of the system.
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“unlike other systems such as the Franco-Italian SAMP/T Mamba, the Ukrainian IRIS-T SLM regularly receive new missiles”
Why aren't the Mamba getting new missiles?
Not enough according to the Ukrainians. Sebastien Lecornu recognized this by indicating that he made increasing ASTER production an absolute priority.