The contract has been signed by the German procurement authority BAAINBw with the company Diehl on behalf of Sweden, through the European cooperation project ESSI (European Sky Shield Initiative), according to a press release from the Government Offices. IRIS-T SLM is part of the Swedish Armed Forces' planned development of new air defense companies and will complement existing systems, including Patriot and IRIS-T SLS, referred to in Sweden as Air Defense System 103 and Missile System 98, respectively.
According to Defense Minister Pål Jonson, the acquisition represents a significant capacity increase for the Swedish air defense.
– IRIS-T SLM will be introduced in the brigades and the battle group on Gotland. This means a considerable capability enhancement for Sweden's air defense, he says on the platform X.
He also highlights the system's technical performance:
– IRIS-T SLM has a range of 40 kilometers and can reach targets at approximately 20 kilometers altitude. This doubles the range compared to the current air defense on Gotland and can counter threats such as helicopters, drones, and fighter aircraft, he writes on X.
FMV, responsible for the acquisition, states that the task is extensive and also includes short-range systems. To meet the timeline, the systems need to be proven.
– Since the timeframes are very short, we essentially need to focus on systems that are already in production and operation, says Christer Mellgren, project manager at FMV, in a press release.