After effective operation in Ukraine, Germany's IRIS-T SLM has found new customers in Latvia and Estonia

The Estonian Ministry of Defence has announced that it is negotiating the purchase of IRIS-T SLM air defence systems. The air defence system will be purchased jointly with Latvia.

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The manufacturer of IRIS-T is the German company Diehl Defense. If the negotiations go well, details of the future deal will be announced as early as next summer. The aim of the two Baltic countries is to ensure the protection of airspace, population as well as civil and military infrastructure.

IRIS-T SLM is a medium-range surface-to-air missile system. It uses the IRIS-T missile. It was originally developed to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder. In 2015, a modification for launch from ground installations appeared.

The German air defence system can intercept threats at altitudes up to 20km and ranges of up to 40km. It is capable of shooting down cruise missiles, drones, helicopters and aircraft.

The IRIS-T SLM has proved effective in Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian military, the system destroyed more than 60 aerial targets, and the effectiveness of its use on the first day was 100%. The complex includes TRML-4D radar, which can see up to 250km. The station can track ballistic missiles at a range of up to 60km and is capable of tracking up to 1,500 targets simultaneously.

Source: Estonian Ministry of Defence