Using funds from a €90 billion EU loan, Ukraine will order several thousand German-made IRIS-T missiles, which are used to intercept russian drones and missiles. As a result, a new production line for these interceptors will be opened in Germany.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced this during a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) in the Ramstein format, according to German Aid to Ukraine. He also announced a new military aid package.
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This includes the transfer of PAC-2 anti-aircraft missiles from Bundeswehr stockpiles for use with the Patriot air defense system, as well as AIM-9 air-to-air missiles for F-16 fighter jets and various air defense systems, including NASAMS. The package also includes tens of thousands of long-range artillery rounds.
From Defense Express we would like to note that Ukraine receives additional Iris-T SLM air defense systems each year, along with Iris-T SLS launchers. As a result, the demand for anti-aircraft missiles used by these air defense systems to intercept threats such as drones and cruise missiles is constantly increasing.
In addition, the standard IRIS-T missiles, in addition to being used with SLS launchers, can also be integrated with Gripen fighter jets, which Ukraine is set to receive in 2027. So, the current order will help strengthen not only ground-based air defense systems.
It should be noted that at the beginning of 2026, Diehl Defence announced plans to open a new production line for the IRIS-T family of missiles, with a capacity of 2,000 missiles per year. Pistorius may have linked the Ukrainian order specifically to this project.
As for the AIM-9, Germany has previously supplied Ukraine with these missiles from its own stockpiles, including the older, domestically produced AIM-9L/I-1 variant. This will help ensure a steady supply of missiles primarily for F-16 fighter jets. They can also be used with the FrankenSAM air defense system, while the newer AIM-9X variant is compatible with NASAMS.
Ukraine currently operates at least 10 Iris-T SLM batteries, which can intercept airborne threats at ranges of up to 40 km and altitudes of 20 km. Each battery includes several Iris-T SLS launchers, which have a range of 12 km and an operational altitude of up to six km.
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