As part of the European Sky Shield Initiative, Switzerland has acquired five IRIS-T SLM ground-based air defense systems.
On behalf of the Swiss arms acquisition authority, the German arms procurement agency signed the procurement deal with Diehl Defense, the German producer of the IRIS-T. The total amount of the purchase is unknown. In the 2024 armaments program, however, Bern gave a credit guarantee of 660 million Swiss Francs ($832 million) for medium-range air defense. The IRIS-T SLM, the air defense variant of the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, comprises a missile launcher, radar, and command and control system.
Over a range of 40 kilometers (25 miles) and at an altitude of up to 20 kilometers (12.5 miles), the system can counter threats from cruise missiles, helicopters, and fighter planes.
The system has been chosen by eight other nations, including Ukraine, Germany, Estonia, Latvia, Slovenia, and Bulgaria, in addition to Switzerland.
