Germany has announced that it will provide Ukraine with additional IRIS-T air defense systems, one of which will be delivered in the coming weeks. The announcement was made by Helmut Rauch, CEO of Diehl Defense. German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Helmut Rauch visited Kyiv on April 18, 2024, where they emphasized the importance of supporting Ukraine and announced the delivery of the new IRIS-T system. Diehl Defense has already supplied three systems to Ukraine, with more deliveries expected this year. The IRIS-T SLM air defense systems are known for their capabilities in protecting Ukrainian skies from Russian missiles and drones. The German company plans to produce a total of seven air defense missile systems in 2024, along with an increased production of missiles.

The delivery of additional IRIS-T air defense systems from Germany to Ukraine is part of Diehl Defense’s efforts to enhance Ukrainian defense capabilities under the German Sky Shield initiative. The increased production of these systems and the transfer of more units will contribute to better protection of Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure from Russian attacks. Furthermore, Diehl Defense is conducting research on a long-range version of the missile that will have an active homing head and will be able to intercept air targets up to 100 km away.

ملخص الأخبار

• Diehl Defense is expanding production capacity due to supplying the system to other European countries.
• Expectation for seven air defense missile systems to be produced and delivered in 2024.
• The company intends to launch the production of scarce components in Germany to overcome production rate challenges.
• Research on a long-range missile version with active homing head to intercept air targets up to 100 km away.