IRIS-T

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IRIS-T
Mockup of the IRIS-T
TypeShort-range air-to-air missile
Place of originGermany, Italy, Sweden, Greece, Norway, Spain
Service history
In serviceDecember 2005
Used bySee operators
WarsRusso-Ukrainian War
Production history
ManufacturerDiehl Defence, Avio S.p.A., Litton Italia, Leonardo S.p.A., Saab AB, GPCC, Nammo[1]
Unit cost€140 million (complete IRIS-T SLM battery, FY 2022)[2]
€250,000[3] (~US$280,000) to €400,000[4][5] (~US$473080) for an AAM
€564,608[6] (~US$632,064) for an IRIS-T SL missile
No. built> 5,000 missiles (as of December 2023) [7]
Specifications
Mass87.4 kg (193 lb)
Length2.94 m (9.6 ft)[8]
DiameterAAM: 127 mm (5.0 in)
IRIS-T SL: 152 mm (6.0 in)
Wingspan447 mm (17.6 in)
WarheadHE/fragmentation
Warhead weight11.4 kg (25 lb)[9]
Detonation
mechanism
Impact and active radar proximity fuse
EngineSolid-fuel rocket
PropellantHTPB[10]
Operational
range
  • AAM: 25 km (16 mi)[8]
  • SLS: 12 km (7.5 mi)[11]
  • SLM: 40 km (25 mi)[12]
  • SLX: 80 km (50 mi)[13]
  • HYDEF: 100 km (62 mi)[14]
Flight ceiling
  • SLS: 8 km (5.0 mi)[11]
  • SLM: 20 km (12 mi)[12]
  • SLX: 30 km (19 mi)[13]
  • HYDEF: 50 km (31 mi)[14]
Flight altitudeSea level to 20,000 m (66,000 ft)
Maximum speed AAM: Mach 3
SLS: Mach 2[15]
Guidance
system
Infrared homing
SLX: combined radar and infrared guidance[16]
Steering
system
4 exhaust vanes and 4 tail wings[1]
Launch
platform
Air-to-air:
EF-18, F-4 AUP, F-5 Super Tigris, F-16, Gripen, M-346, Tornado, Typhoon, KAI KF-21 Boramae
Ground-to-air:
IRIS-T SLS, IRIS-T SLM, IRIS-T SLX, NASAMS-3

The IRIS-T (infrared imaging system tail/thrust vector-controlled) is a short range infrared homing air-to-air and short to medium range surface-to-air missile. It also is called AIM-2000.[17][18]

The missile was developed in the late 1990s–early 2000s by a German-led program to produce 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. A goal of the program was for any aircraft capable of firing the Sidewinder to also be capable of launching the IRIS-T.[19] The air-to-air variant was fielded in 2005.

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. 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. The command vehicle integrates multiple radar sources, and is able to launch and track all 24 missiles simultaneously. The IRIS-T SLM can counter surface-to-air missiles and cruise missiles, including low-flying, stealthy missiles such as the Kalibr.[20]

  1. ^ a b "BGT/SAAB/Alenia IRIS-T". Archived from the original on 22 January 2009.
  2. ^ "Explainer: Germany's IRIS-T air defense system". DW. 12 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  3. ^ Ashish Dangwal (31 May 2024). "Cutting-Edge IRIS-T Missile 'Goes Missing;' Germany Suspects 'US Factor' In Its Disappearance". www.eurasiantimes.com. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  4. ^ Felix Busjaeger (22 October 2022). "Flugabwehrsystem Iris-T: Das kann das System aus Deutschland". kreiszeitung.de (in German). Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  5. ^ Simon Cleven (10 January 2024). "Was die Iris-T-Lenkraketen so besonders macht". t-online.de (in German). Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  6. ^ Frank Hofmann (12 May 2023). "Ukraine: Deutscher Nachschub für die Offensive". Focus. Retrieved 14 June 2024.
  7. ^ "FRAMEWORK CONTRACT FOR IRIS-T GUIDED MISSILES SIGNED". Diehl.com. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Diehl Defence: IRIS-T, the short-distance missile of the latest generation". Diehl.com. Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
  9. ^ "IRIS-T". Airpower.at. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2014.
  10. ^ Andersson 2012, p. 26.
  11. ^ a b "The new mobile Air Defence system IRIS-T SLS Mk III unveiled at EUROSATORY 2022". 16 July 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference irist_egypts_choice was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference hensoldt-diehl-gbad was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference White2024Addressing was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Andersson 2012, p. 37.
  16. ^ "Germany's Diehl Defence Unveils Advanced IRIS-T SLX Air Defense Missile System". armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Luft-Luft-Rakete IRIS-T AIM-2000". www.bundeswehr.de (in German). Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  18. ^ "AIM-2000 (IRIS-T) Infrared Imaging Seeker - Tail". Hellenic Air Force (in Greek). Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  19. ^ "IRIS-T European Short Range Air-to-Air Missile" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 November 2012.
  20. ^ "How the West is helping Ukraine beat Russia's missiles". The Economist. 11 October 2022. Archived from the original on 11 October 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.