The German Navy’s F125 (Baden-Württemberg-class) frigates, which have so far been extremely poorly armed in terms of air defense, are to receive a significant capability upgrade in the future. The defense contractor Diehl Defence is currently working on equipping the ships with a total of 32 Iris-T-SLM missile cells.
By Lars Hoffman / hartpunkt
According to Diehl, the plan is to equip each frigate with two new launchers, each capable of holding 16 missiles. As Harald Buschek, Chief Program Officer at Diehl Defence, explained today at the ILA Berlin Air Show in an interview with hartpunkt, the missile launch canisters will be permanently installed in a vertical position within the launcher. The launcher will have deflector plates on its base to prevent the hot missile steel from damaging the deck.
The Iris-T SLM air defense system was successfully tested for the first time last autumn during live-fire exercises from the frigate Baden-Württemberg in Andøya, Norway. The launcher used at that time had only minor modifications compared to the truck-mounted Iris-T launcher for the land-based system. Neither the supports used for the land-based system nor the hydraulics for raising the launch canisters to a 90-degree position are required on a ship. Eliminating these components saves space and weight.
According to Buschek, a prototype of the new launcher should be completed as early as 2027. The manager also stated that the first test firing of this configuration could potentially take place next year. Observers anticipate that the firing on the high seas could occur as early as the second quarter of next year.
As Buschek further explained, Diehl Defence is currently in contract negotiations with the BAAINBw (Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support) regarding the new launcher. He considers it likely that the integration of the “Iris-T SLM Naval,” as Diehl Defence apparently calls the concept, into the German Navy’s future combat management system, CMS 330, will be part of the contract. Reportedly, the F125 frigates are slated to be the first warships of the German Navy to receive the CMS 330. During the Iris-T SLM test firing last year, the system was not yet directly connected to the CMS 330.
In addition to launching the Iris-T SLM from the new launchers, integration into Lockheed Martin’s Vertical Launch System Mk 41, which is also used by the German Navy, is a possible future option. As Buschek confirmed, discussions are underway with industry partners regarding this topic.
This article by Lars Hoffman was originally published in German language at hartpunkt.de. It has been translated and republished with authorization.
