armasuisse Switzerland Procures IRIS-T SLM

Diehl Defence and the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) have signed the contracts for the procurement of ground-based air defence (GBAD) systems of the type IRIS-T SLM for Switzerland. The Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement armasuisse had previously granted the BAAINBw the authority to do so. The signing of the agreement was preceded by Switzerland joining to the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), of which Switzerland became the 19th of 24 members in October 2024.

The contract between Diehl Defence and armasuisse provides for the delivery of five IRIS-T SLM systems and other services. These include, amongst others, the provision of logistics vehicles for mobile maintenance, the provision of spare parts and a training station for the Swiss Armed Forces. With the IRIS-T SLM systems, the Swiss Armed Forces close a key capability gap and strengthen their resilience to modern airborne threats. The future medium-range ground-based air defence system (Bodluv MR) will be operated as part of Integrated Air Defence (IAD).

Including Switzerland, nine countries have now opted for IRIS-T SLM to cover their ground-based air defence requirements in this segment. IRIS-T SLM protects people, buildings and infrastructure on the ground against threats from aircraft, helicopters and missiles over a range of 40 km and an altitude of up to 20 km. The system is characterized by true 360° coverage, high tactical mobility, deployability of launchers and multiple target engagement with low personnel requirement. IRIS-T SLM convinces with its excellent performance in operational use: According to customers, the system achieves a very high hit rate even during waves of attack with more than twelve targets.

Switzerland also obtains the IRIS-T SLM systems by making use of a standardized contract for ESSI procurements. This enables a faster procurement process as well as great synergy effects in the areas of training, maintenance and logistics in the future, from which ESSI customers will benefit.