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Germany Diehl Defence
IRIS-T SLM
A German medium-range, ground-based air-defense system adapted from the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, using infrared homing to defeat aircraft, cruise missiles and drones with high resistance to jamming. It gained prominence after deliveries to Ukraine, where it reported a very high intercept success rate.
In service since 2022 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
40
km range
20,000
m altitude
8
targets
250
km radar
💲 ≈ $150,000,000, Approximate cost per battery set
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
Established · 5 operators
In service since 2022. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$375M – $525M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~25 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
Interoperability
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 |
|---|---|
| Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace. | 40 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 20,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 8 |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | IRIS-T interceptor missile |
|---|---|
| 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. | Fragmentation |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Imaging infrared homing |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | TRML-4D AESA radar |
|---|---|
| Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first. | 250 km |
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | NATO Link 16-compatible network |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $150,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 5 |
Specifications compiled from public Diehl Defence and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.
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HQ-9 Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM has a maximum engagement range of 40 km.
What is the main armament of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM's primary weapon is the IRIS-T interceptor missile.
What is the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM used for? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM cost? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM has an approximate unit cost of 150,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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