Ukraine receives another German IRIS-T air defence system

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine received a new IRIS-T air defence launcher from Germany yesterday, according to Reuters. The delivery strengthens Kyiv's ability to defend against Russian missile and drone strikes.

This is not Ukraine's first IRIS-T system from Germany. In August 2023, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had received two additional launchers. At that time, he called them "a powerful and much-needed air defense system." Germany has now become one of Ukraine's largest military suppliers overall.

The IRIS-T SLM is a German-made medium-range surface-to-air missile system made by Diehl Defence. It can hit targets up to 40 kilometres away and at altitudes of up to 20 kilometres. The system can intercept aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, drones and precision-guided munitions.

Each IRIS-T battery includes missile launchers, a TRML-4D radar unit, a command-and-control centre and support vehicles. The radar detects incoming threats and sends targeting information to the command centre. Missiles receive updates during flight and use infrared imaging to find and destroy targets.

Ukraine has relied on IRIS-T systems since 2022 to defend cities and critical infrastructure. The system has proven effective at stopping cruise missiles and Iranian-designed Shahed drones that Russia regularly uses in attacks. Germany continues to provide air defence systems to help Ukraine build a layered protection network against ongoing Russian barrages.