Germany debuts a unified IRIS-T launcher as Europe eyes a Patriot alternative
Germany’s Diehl Defence unveiled a single launcher that can fire both IRIS‑T SLM (medium range) and SLX (long range) missiles, enabling mixed batteries and potentially offering Europe a Patriot‑like option. The system’s IRIS‑T SLM components include a radar that can detect targets up to about 250 km away and engage them up to 40 km out (up to 20 km altitude), while SLX extends interception to around 80 km. Though not a direct Patriot replacement, IRIS‑T is seen as a complementary layer, and Patriot remains in high demand—especially for ballistic missiles—amid ongoing war in Ukraine, with replacements not expected until the decade’s end and high costs involved (battery costs ~$1B, interceptors ~$5M each).
