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Germany Diehl Defence
IRIS-T SLS
A German short-range, infrared-guided surface-to-air missile system derived from the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, providing mobile point defense against aircraft, helicopters and UAVs. It is the shorter-range companion to the medium-range IRIS-T SLM.
In service since 2015 · 4 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
12
km range
8,000
m altitude
4
targets
Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed
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 · 4 operators
In service since 2015. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
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. | 12 km |
| Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach. | 8,000 m |
| Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks. | 4 |
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. | Ground-based surveillance radar (system-dependent) |
|---|---|
| Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement. | Link 16 (integration-dependent) |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 4 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Diehl Defence and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Raytheon (RTX) Phalanx CIWS (Mk 15) Frequently asked questions
What is the engagement range of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS has a maximum engagement range of 12 km.
What is the main armament of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS's primary weapon is the IRIS-T interceptor missile.
What is the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS used for? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS is a air defense system typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS? +
The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS is operated by 4 countries.
How much does the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS cost? +
Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLS: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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