Switzerland to buy 4 or 5 IRIS-T air-defense systems from Diehl

PARIS — Switzerland plans to purchase 4 or 5 IRIS-T SLM medium-range air-defense techniques from Germany’s Diehl Defence, with negotiations in a complicated part, the nation’s protection procurement workplace, Armasuisse, mentioned on Friday.

The federal workplace expects to signal the contract for the ground-to-air missile batteries within the third quarter of 2025, with procurement going down as a part of the European Sky Protect Initiative, Armasuisse mentioned in an announcement.

Swiss lawmakers final yr authorised a credit score assure of 660 million Swiss francs ($809 million) for medium-range air protection within the 2024 armament program. Switzerland joins nations throughout Europe speeding to bolster their air defenses, as Russia’s every day missile and drone assaults on Ukrainian cities have raised consciousness of the necessity to shield civilian and navy targets towards aerial threats.

“The longer term ground-based air protection will contribute to the impression of sustaining air sovereignty and air protection in addition to defending towards assaults with long-range weapons,” Armasuisse mentioned. The system will likely be a part of Switzerland’s built-in air protection, the workplace mentioned.

Armasuisse examined Hensoldt’s TRML-4D radar for the brand new medium-range air-defense system between March 31 and April 11, taking an additional step within the procurement course of, the workplace mentioned.

The properties of the radar had been examined along with Diehl and Hensoldt within the particular Swiss topography, with the radar used to detect plane together with the PC-12, F/A-18 and helicopters, Armasuisse mentioned.

Switzerland is without doubt one of the most mountainous nations in Europe, with mountains masking 70% of the territory and round 1 / 4 of the floor space made up of peaks over 2,000 meters (6,562 toes) above sea degree.

The assessments additionally investigated the frequency compatibility with civilian techniques similar to climate radar.

The nation in October joined the European Sky Protect Initiative as this system’s fifteenth member, with an preliminary concentrate on medium-range air protection, whereas saying it anticipated alternatives for cooperation on shorter and longer-range defenses sooner or later.

Different IRIS-T SLM customers embrace Germany and Ukraine, whereas Latvia ordered the system in November 2023 and Slovenia and Bulgaria positioned orders final yr. A system sometimes features a fire-control unit, a radar unit and a number of missile launchers.

“The renewal will shut an present hole in functionality within the protection of stand-off weapons, to fight approaching targets at a medium distance and thus broaden long-range ground-based air protection with the Patriot system,” Armasuisse mentioned. “Methods presently in use will quickly attain the top of their helpful life.”

Individually, Diehl mentioned it signed a partnership settlement with Denmark’s MDSI to broaden the payload integration of IRIS-T short-range missiles on fighter plane. The missile is included in the usual armament of the Eurofighter and Saab’s Gripen, and may also be used on the F-16, Twister, EF-18, KF-21 and F-5E, in keeping with Diehl.

“By partnering with MDSI, we’re enabling air forces to leverage the total potential of our missile system throughout platforms beforehand deemed as of restricted compatibility,” mentioned Martin Walzer, senior supervisor for integration packages at Diehl.