IRIS-T SLM

A German medium-range, ground-based air-defense system adapted from the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, using infrared homing to defeat aircraft, cruise missiles and drones with high resistance to jamming. It gained prominence after deliveries to Ukraine, where it reported a very high intercept success rate.

Engagement

40 km

💲 Approximate cost per battery set

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters.: 3 Mach

0th pct in class
Engagement range Maximum distance at which an air-defense system can intercept targets. Higher covers more airspace.: 40 km

17th pct in class
Engagement altitude Maximum target altitude the system can reach.: 20,000 m

17th pct in class
Simultaneous targets Number of targets the system can engage at once. Higher resists saturation attacks.: 8

0th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: IRIS-T interceptor missile
Warhead Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.: 11 kg

0th pct in class
Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.: Fragmentation
Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.: Imaging infrared homing

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.: TRML-4D AESA radar
Radar range Published detection range against a typical fighter-sized target. Higher sees first.: 250 km

50th pct in class
Datalink Network connectivity: Link 16, MADL, national datalinks. Enables cooperative engagement.: NATO Link 16-compatible network

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $150,000,000

83th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 5

33th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Diehl Defence and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the engagement range of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM? +

The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM has a maximum engagement range of 40 km.

What is the main armament of the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM? +

The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM's primary weapon is the IRIS-T interceptor missile.

What is the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM used for? +

The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM is a air defense system typically used for air defense.

How many countries operate the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM? +

The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM is operated by 5 countries.

How much does the Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM cost? +

The Diehl Defence IRIS-T SLM has an approximate unit cost of 150,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.