![]() ![]() Surface launched variants of the IRIS-T, the IRIS-T SLS and IRIS-T SLM, have enhanced capabilities to destroy aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, air-to-surface missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-radar rockets and large-calibre rockets. The IRIS-T has the unique ability, in comparison to other similar missiles such as the AIM-9X, to target and shoot down other air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, thus offering a 360° defence capability. To improve the probability of a direct hit, the missile is equipped with an active radar proximity fuze. The IRIS-T is able to intercept fast-moving and miniature targets, such as air-to-air/surface-to-air missiles and air-to-surface/surface-to-surface missiles and rockets, UAV/drones, and cruise missiles. It can engage targets behind the launching aircraft, made possible by extreme close-in agility, allowing turns of 60 g at a rate of 60°/s via thrust vectoring and LOAL capability. Improvements in target discrimination allow for five to eight times longer head-on firing range than the AIM-9M. In comparison to the AIM-9M Sidewinder, the IRIS-T has higher ECM resistance and flare suppression. ![]() The respective share of the development of the IRIS-T are: The German Air Force took first delivery of the missile in December 2005. Canada later dropped out, while Spain joined as a procurement partner in 2003. In 1995, Germany announced the start of the IRIS-T development, in collaboration with Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Canada. However, the Sidewinder upgrade proposal failed to interest NATO buyers and, in 1992, the missile development programme ultimately separated with the UK the ASRAAM, France the MBDA MICA, US the AIM-9X and Germany electing to restart development on what became the IRIS-T. Fearing erosion of its industrial base, the US proposed it would choose the latest version of its existing Sidewinder design with increased maneuverability and IRCCM unless the European partners increased the US industrial workshare, designated AIM-9X. This delayed the project by one year as the British, German and Norwegian proposals were redesigned. In 1987, after years of silence on the program, the US proposed a requirement that the weapon must use Sidewinder rails rather than the universal aircraft rail adaptor named the Missile Support Unit that had been developed. This ultimately led to the ASRAAM gaining a significantly more capable 128×128 focal array seeker with IRCCM (infrared counter countermeasures) capability, similar performance and notably half the unit cost of the IRIS-T due to the development work that had already been completed on the missile body. In 1990, Germany withdrew from the ASRAAM project, while the UK resolved to find another seeker and develop ASRAAM according to the original range requirement. In particular, it was found to be both far more maneuverable and capable in terms of seeker acquisition and tracking than the latest AIM-9 Sidewinder. This work was dusted off for the UK–German effort, with the Germans providing a new seeker, and the UK providing most of the remaining components.Īfter German reunification in 1990, Germany found itself with large stockpiles of the Soviet Vympel R-73 missiles (NATO reporting name: AA-11 Archer) carried by the MiG-29 Fulcrum and concluded that the AA-11's capabilities had been noticeably underestimated. This project ended in 1974 with no production orders. The roots of the ASRAAM date back to 1968 when development began on the Hawker Siddeley SRAAM ("Taildog"). The IRIS-T SLM can counter surface-to-air missiles and cruise missiles, including low-flying, stealthy missiles such as the Kalibr. The command vehicle integrates multiple radar sources, and is able to launch and track all 24 missiles simultaneously. One IRIS-T SLM battery, as supplied by Germany to Ukraine, consists of three truck-mounted launchers, carrying eight missiles each (with a range of 40 kilometres or 25 miles), and a separate command vehicle that can be positioned up to 20 kilometres (12 mi) away. Surface-to-air defence systems variants came later, with the short-range IRIS-T SLS fielded in 2015, and the medium-range IRIS-T SLM fielded in 2022. The air-to-air variant was fielded in 2005. A goal of the program was for any aircraft capable of firing the Sidewinder to also be capable of launching the IRIS-T. ![]() The missile was developed in the late 1990s–early 2000s by a German-led program to develop a short to medium range infrared homing air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder in use by some NATO member countries at the time. The IRIS-T (InfraRed Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector-Controlled) is a medium range infrared homing air-to-air missile available in both air-to-air and ground defence surface-to-air variants. Typhoon, Tornado, F-4 AUP, F-5 Super Tigris, F-16V, EF-18, NASAMS, Gripen, M-346. ![]()
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