The German company Diehl Defence has secured a contract to work on the upgraded IRIS-T missile in the Block II version. According to Defense Express, they have investigated how the new missile modification will differ from the current version used by the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

It is noted that Diehl Defence has not disclosed the specifications of the IRIS-T Block II. However, some information was previously revealed.

In December, the Bundestag approved 38 defense projects totaling 21 billion euros, as reported by the publication. The list included work on the IRIS-T Block II, for which 25 million euros were allocated.

The publication emphasized that according to Harald Buschek, the Chief Program Officer of Diehl Defence, who spoke at the ILA airshow in Berlin last year, the Block II version will feature a new seeker head, updated electronics, and in-flight data exchange capabilities.

It is likely that the target destruction range parameters for the air version of the IRIS-T Block II will remain at 25 kilometers, as previously noted by the publication. Additionally, the weight of the warhead will remain at 11.4 kg.

However, the response speed, range, target acquisition quality, as well as jamming resistance and other parameters related to the upgrade of the electronic component base will be improved compared to the previous missile modification, the publication stated. Furthermore, the clarification regarding in-flight data exchange may allow for retargeting the missile after launch.

Work on the IRIS-T Block II raises expectations that similar innovations will be integrated into the IRIS-T SLM surface-to-air missile, which has a target destruction range of up to 40 kilometers. The publication also added that these innovations are already integrated into the latest version of the IRIS-T SLX with an 80-kilometer range.

IRIS-T for Ukraine - Important News

Earlier, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced that in 2025, Ukraine will receive 6 IRIS-T systems from Germany. He added that Berlin continues to reliably and actively support our country.

Moreover, at the end of 2024, Germany transferred another IRIS-T system to Ukraine. This was reported by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a national briefing following the European Council meeting in Brussels.