GERMANY, — Diehl Defence and Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) have signed a contract to adapt the IRIS-T SLM air defence system for the German Navy’s four F125 Baden-Württemberg-class frigates. The agreement follows approval of the project by the German Bundestag’s Budget Committee on September 23, 2026.
Under the contract, Diehl Defence will build prototypes and conduct test firings to develop a mission-capable naval version of the system that integrates with the frigates’ existing architecture.
The upgrade is intended to expand the ships’ air defence coverage. The F125 frigates currently rely primarily on RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM), with 42 missiles reported per ship. The IRIS-T SLM has a reported range of approximately 40 kilometres and can engage targets at altitudes of up to 20 kilometres.
According to earlier industry reporting, each frigate could receive two vertical launchers, each carrying 16 IRIS-T SLM missiles, for a potential total of 32 missiles per ship. However, the final configuration has not been officially confirmed.
Successful Naval Trials in 2025
The adaptation programme builds on trials conducted during the German Navy’s Maritime Firing Exercise 2025, held off Andøya, Norway, from October 13 to 24, 2025. Diehl Defence installed a temporary, palletized Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) module on the C-deck of the frigate Baden-Württemberg.
Developed from concept to live firing in less than ten months, the demonstrator fired three missiles as planned, including during night operations. The system met all established evaluation objectives and achieved a reported high hit rate, demonstrating the feasibility of connecting the ship’s sensors with the IRIS-T SLM weapon system.
The IRIS-T SLM has also seen combat use in Ukraine as a ground-based air defence system. Its naval adaptation aims to provide the German Navy with additional capability against modern airborne threats.
Diehl Defence and BAAINBw have not disclosed the contract value or a complete operational introduction schedule. The timeline for equipping all four frigates has not been officially confirmed.
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