FILE PHOTO: Visitors take a look at the IRIS-T SLM, a German air defence system by Diehl, displayed at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2022 in Berlin, Germany June 22, 2022. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

Germany plans to invest $971M in six IRIS-T air defence systems

A defense source told Reuters that Germany aims to purchase six IRIS-T air defence systems for its air force at a total cost of some 900 million euros ($971.73 million).

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13 Jun 2023, 12:56 pm

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany aims to purchase six IRIS-T air defence systems for its air force at a total cost of some 900 million euros ($971.73 million), a defence source told Reuters ahead of a final decision by lawmakers on Wednesday.

So far, Berlin has bought two IRIS-T units built by Diehl for Ukraine and pledged to send another two systems to Kyiv, but has not equipped its own forces with it yet.

Boasting a range of some 40 kilometres (25 miles) and a 360 degree view, the IRIS-T SLM system is one of the most coveted of the weapons that Berlin has supplied to Kyiv.

($1 = 0.9262 euros)

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold, Editing by Rachel More)