Germany Diehl Defence
IRIS-T
German infrared-guided short-range air-to-air missile also adapted as the IRIS-T SLM ground-based air-defense interceptor, used by NATO air forces.
In service since 2005
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
25
km range
3
Mach
11
kg warhead
Pricing: About EUR 400,000 per air-to-air round. More than 5,000 missiles delivered as of December 2023.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
German export-licensed
BAFA licensing with strict end-use review; approvals can be politically constrained.
Channel: Direct commercial / G2G
Fielded & proven
Operator data not public
In service since 2005. Status: active · ~5,000 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
214 comparable systems from 43 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: missiles built by another manufacturer. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 3 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 25 km |
| Service ceiling Maximum operating altitude. Higher gives energy advantage and sensor horizon. | 20,000 m |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range. | 11 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Dual-layer high-explosive fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Imaging infrared homing, Helmet-mounted display cueing, Radar/IRST/datalink cueing |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 2.94 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan Wingtip-to-wingtip span. | 0.45 m |
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 0.13 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 87 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Solid-fuel rocket with thrust vectoring |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 5,000 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Diehl Defence and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-05.
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AS-30L Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T has a maximum range of 25 km.
How much does the Diehl Defence IRIS-T weigh? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T has a combat weight of 87 kg.
How much does the Diehl Defence IRIS-T cost? +
Diehl Defence IRIS-T: About EUR 400,000 per air-to-air round. More than 5,000 missiles delivered as of December 2023.. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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