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At the beginning of June, Diehl delivered the 1000th IRIS-T series guided missile to the Federal Agency of Defence and Procurement (BWB). The German procurement agency acts as customer on behalf of the participating six program nations Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Spain. The IRIS-T consortium developed the state-of-the-art short-range air-to-air guided missile under the industrial lead of Diehl BGT Defence.
IRIS-T was selected as standard armament for the combat aircraft Eurofighter, F-16, F-18, Gripen and Tornado. Prime contractor Diehl BGT Defence coordinates an industrial consortium comprising twelve partner companies. At the end of 2005, series delivery began with the handing over of the first IRIS-T to the German Air Force.
Until 2011 an additional 3000 missiles will be delivered to the program nations. Moreover, the Air Forces of Austria and lately the South African Air Force have decided to procure IRIS-T.
The missile’s integration in the respective aircraft types is almost completed. 60 successful test and trial firings have been conducted so far with IRIS-T in different air forces.
IRIS-T illustrates that even complex international procurement programs are capable of meeting existing time and cost calculations thus satisfying all participating partners.
IRIS-T today provides the basis of an entire missile family with additional applications for ground-based, medium-range air defence, short-range air defence as well as for armament of modern submarines.
Diehl BGT Defence
