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Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on May 29 announced the signing of a new contract with German arms manufacturer Diehl Defence for the delivery of additional IRIS-T air defense systems.
The €2.2 billion contract was inked during a visit to Berlin, where Umerov was a part of a delegation that accompanied President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Under the contract, Diehl Defence will produce and supply four more IRIS-T SL systems, including launchers, radars, command units and missiles, for Ukraine.
“A contract was signed with Diehl Defence for the production of IRIS-T systems and missiles for Ukraine,” adding, “the total value of the contract is 2.2 billion euros,” Umerov said, without revealing when the systems will be delivered.
Germany promised to supply Kiev forces with 12 complete IRIS-T SLM systems and 24 IRIS-T SLS launchers following the start of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine.
The SLM has a range of 40 kilometers and a 20 kilometer altitude, while the SLS’ range and altitude is limited to 12 kilometers.
Both versions are armed with modified versions of the IRIS-T infrared-guided air-to-air missile. The modified missile uses a GPS-aided inertial navigation system, with radar data link for command guidance during the initial approach. The infrared seeker head is activated at the terminal stage.
The system features a TRML-4D surveillance and target acquisition radar made by Germany’s Hensoldt. The radar is equipped with an AESA [Active Electronically Scanned Array] sensor with a maximum range of 250 kilometers and the ability to track up to 1,500 targets at the same time.
It is unclear how many of the systems promised by Germany have been supplied to Kiev forces, so far. Nevertheless, most of those that arrived in Ukraine have been destroyed or damaged by the Russian military.
The new IRIS-T contract came as the de-facto collapse of the Ukrainian air defense network, with reports of mounting losses due to Russian SEAD [Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses] operations and serious shortage in long-range air defense systems and anti-aircraft missiles of all types. The new German-made systems will not likely solve any of these issues. The multi billion contract is just meant to buy Ukraine some time and save Germany’s face.
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