Germany Unveils New Drone System Armed with IRIS-T Air-to-Air Missiles for Next-Gen Air Defence

Germany has officially launched the development of a cutting-edge airborne defence system that will combine drones with advanced air-to-air missiles. This new system, known as the Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS), is being developed through a partnership between Diehl Defence and the German aerospace start-up POLARIS Raumflugzeuge. The agreement for this ambitious project was formally signed at the Paris Air Show 2025 by the CEOs of both companies, Helmut Rauch of Diehl Defence and Dr. Alexander Kopp of POLARIS.

At the heart of the AirLAS project is the plan to integrate Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T air-to-air guided missiles onto POLARIS’ unmanned aerial carrier systems. This combination will create a powerful, flexible, and cost-effective defence system capable of operating in various environments and mission scenarios.

The IRIS-T is a highly advanced, combat-proven missile widely used by several air forces around the world. Known for its accuracy, agility, and effectiveness in close combat, the IRIS-T will give these unmanned drones serious offensive and defensive capabilities in the air.

The new AirLAS system aims to deliver several key benefits:

• Extended operational range compared to traditional air defence systems

• Affordability and cost-efficiency thanks to reusable drone platforms

• Quick deployment in various operational environments

• Flexibility to support multi-domain missions, including air, land, and maritime operations

One of the major highlights of this project is its potential for future integration with Germany’s and Europe’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS) — a next-generation air combat initiative — and possibly with future long-range hypersonic weapon systems.

Initial flight tests of the combined drone-and-missile system are expected to take place later this year, marking an important step towards a new era of unmanned air combat and air defence.

Both companies believe that AirLAS will offer armed forces a highly adaptable and scalable solution to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare, particularly in the area of ground-based air defence and airborne interception missions.

In simple terms, this new project is about combining a reliable missile with a smart, unmanned drone to create a powerful new weapon that can protect airspace, respond quickly to threats, and be used in many types of military missions in the future.