For Ukraine, it was Germany who became one of the main donors of surface-to-air missile systems and other air defense equipment, having transferred a total of three Patriots, six IRIS-T air defense systems in the mid-range SLM and short-range SLS versions, alongside 57 self-propelled Gepard and two Skynex anti-aircraft guns. But the number of missiles that were provided to them has only become public just now.
The statistics were announced for the first time by the German Ministry of Defense during an interview with the head of its Planning and Command Staff and Chief Coordinator of German Military Assistance to Ukraine, Maj. Gen. Dr. Christian Freuding. The talk was dedicated to the third anniversary of russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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One of the slides that accompanied Freuding's speech included information that a total of 328 missiles for Patriot systems and 658 IRIS-T missiles were transferred to Ukraine without breaking them down into specific modifications.
For a reminder, the American Patriot system uses GEM-T missiles, primarily against non-ballistic targets like aircraft or drones, and PAC-3 CRI (older) and PAC-3 MSE (newer) effectors to intercept ballistic threats. In turn, the short-range IRIS-T SLS air defense system employs the original IRIS-T air-to-air missile, while the medium-range IRIS-T SLM relies on its eponymous improved variant.
Defense Express notes that the first appearance of the surface-launched IRIS-T system in Ukraine was recorded in a photo taken in January 2023, although it apparently arrived even earlier. Soon afterward, the first Patriot system from Germany was confirmed to arrive in Ukraine in April 2023.
As for the supply of missiles, it is necessary to remember their production rates. U.S.-based RTX (formerly known as Raytheon) produces only 240 GEM-T interceptors a year, divided among all Patriot operators, and Lockheed Martin produces more than 500 MSE units yearly.
While Germany has a local production of GEM-T missiles, it only began in November 2024 and hasn't ramped up. And the only MSE manufacturer outside the United States is the Japanese Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, with an annual output of 30 missiles.
However, there is no such information about the production rates of IRIS-T by the German company Diehl. Though it's known that the enterprise committed to expanding its capacities and began construction work in 2024 with a plan to launch the lines by the end of 2025.
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