IRIS-T SLM
WesternInfrared Imaging Seeker Tail-Controlled Missile — Surface Launched Medium
The IRIS-T SLM is a German-produced ground-based medium-range air defense system developed by Diehl Defence. It uses the same infrared homing IRIS-T missile as the air-to-air variant but in a mobile launcher configuration, capable of intercepting aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, drones, and ballistic missiles at ranges up to 40 km and altitudes up to 20 km. Germany supplied the first IRIS-T SLM to Ukraine in October 2022.
Primary Role
Defend key Ukrainian cities and military positions from Russian air attacks — cruise missiles, Shahed drones, Kalibr, Kh-101
First documented use in Ukraine: 2022-10-12
Specifications
| Range | Up to 40 km |
| Altitude ceiling | 20 km |
| Missile guidance | Imaging infrared (IIR) — autonomous seeker |
| Simultaneous targets | Multiple (parallel engagement) |
| Mobility | All launchers vehicle-mounted — mobile |
| Country | Germany (Diehl Defence) |
✓ Strengths
- •IIR guidance is nearly impossible to jam electronically
- •Can engage targets from all directions (360°)
- •Effective against low-flying cruise missiles and drones
- •Fully mobile — can reposition to avoid counter-battery
- •High reliability with modern electronics
⚠ Limitations
- •Limited range compared to Patriot (40 km vs 160 km)
- •Each battery can only cover a limited area
- •Ammunition supply dependent on German production
- •Not effective against ballistic missiles (IRIS-T SLX variant needed)
Notable Use
Ukraine used IRIS-T SLM to achieve a claimed ~70% interception rate against Russian missiles over Kyiv and other cities. It was the first modern Western air defense system supplied to Ukraine and became a key element of Ukraine's layered air defense alongside NASAMS and Patriot.
Ukraine War Context
Germany pledged 4 IRIS-T SLM systems to Ukraine, with deliveries starting October 2022. The systems protect major Ukrainian cities from Russia's mass drone-and-missile combination attacks. The Ukraine deployment accelerated Germany's own IRIS-T SLM procurement, as Germany recognised it needed to replenish its own stocks.