The Bundeswehr plans to reformat its air defense by strengthening ground forces with IRIS-T SLM medium-range surface-to-air missile systems, which will, with a high probability, lead to a considerable increase in their number.
Until now, these air defense assets were planned to be kept only within the German Armed Forces Air Force. But according to a new concept learned by Hartpunkt, the army is to receive medium-range SAM systems in addition to short-range IRIS-T SLS complexes and Skyranger anti-aircraft artillery systems.
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The plan is for all components of the monumental NNBs air defense system to be in the composition of only one service, rather than split between ground and air forces. This quite pragmatic decision is being made even though German ground forces have never operated medium-range SAM systems and even during the Cold War were armed only with the well-known Gepard and Roland SAM systems, which covered a zone up to 6 km.
At the same time, according to insider information, Berlin plans not to redistribute IRIS-T SLM SAM systems between air and ground forces, but to order additional ones for the army. Currently, only six of these systems have been ordered for the Bundeswehr, but the previous plan according to available information involved 50 IRIS-T SLM systems. But now it is being said that an additional 25 medium-range SAM systems will be ordered for ground forces.
In other words, the total order for Diehl should expand 1.5 times to 75 IRIS-T SLM surface-to-air missile systems. At the same time, the publication clarifies that despite the impression of an astronomical number of SAM systems, one needs only look at Ukraine's experience, where air defense systems must ensure protection not only of troops but also of numerous rear facilities.
And Defense Express notes that Rheinmetall, which is a co-executor of the NNBs creation and production project, calculated the number of critical facilities in Germany. According to its calculations, there are 1,926 rear facilities requiring protection from air attacks.
Not all of them, of course, can count on protection specifically from medium-range SAM systems, which will still cover areas. But it is necessary to consider that Germany has 15 cities with populations over 500,000, with all their vulnerable critical infrastructure.
Therefore, 50 IRIS-T SLM SAM systems for protecting large cities, strategic bridges, power plants, ports, logistics hubs, military bases, and other rear facilities, and 25 units for covering troops themselves and the near-front zone, no longer look so astronomical.
And this means only one thing while Berlin will be coordinating funds for such procurements, which with a plan to reach a defense budget of €153 billion is not so difficult, Diehl must implement a plan to increase production, adding another 2,000 units to current rates of 800-1,000 IRIS-T missiles of all types. 75 IRIS-T SLM systems with three launchers each means a salvo of 1,800 surface-to-air missiles.
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