Germany unveils IRIS-T SLM/X air defense missile system with 100 km range to challenge U.S. Patriot.

Diehl Defence unveiled the IRIS-T SLM/X air defense system at Enforce Tac 2026, introducing a common eight-canister launcher capable of firing both SLM and SLX interceptors.

On February 24, 2026, at Enforce Tac 2026, Germany's Diehl Defence unveiled the IRIS-T SLM/X air defense system, introducing a common eight-canister launcher capable of firing both SLM and SLX interceptors. The configuration allows mixed missile loads while maintaining eight ready rounds per vehicle. The SLX extends engagement reach to 100 km range and 30 km altitude within the existing IRIS-T SL architecture.
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Combining the combat-proven IRIS-T SLM with the upcoming SLX variant within the IRIS-T SLM/X would offer a layered air defence capability to the IRIS-T SL air defense system while preserving a common command and launcher infrastructure. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

The launcher architecture enables mixed load configurations within the same vehicle, including combinations such as four SLM and four SLX missiles or seven of one type and one of the other, while maintaining eight ready missiles per launcher. The concept centers on retaining a single launcher design and adjusting engagement envelopes through missile selection rather than separate firing units. Performance figures highlighted with the new configuration indicate for SLX a 100 km range, 80 km interception range, and 30 km altitude coverage, while SLM is associated with 60 km range, 40 km interception range, and 20 km altitude coverage. The mixed load approach is intended to expand engagement flexibility within existing fire unit structures. 

Combining the combat-proven IRIS-T SLM with the upcoming SLX variant within the IRIS-T SLM/X would offer a layered air defence capability to the IRIS-T SL air defense system while preserving a common command and launcher infrastructure. The current SLM missile engages aerial threats such as aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and drones out to about 40 km and up to 20 km altitude, and it operates with a full 360-degree coverage and networked target data to coordinate with radar and control units. Adding the SLX fills the gap toward about 80 km range and roughly 30 km altitude, using a dual seeker and dual pulse motor to extend interception reach without requiring new fire control or sensor systems beyond those already fielded for the SLM.

This would allow forces to tailor launcher loads with mixed SLM and SLX interceptors to address different threat types from close to medium-long distances while using the same tactical operations center and radar inputs, reducing the need for separate specialised batteries for each engagement tier. The commonality in launcher and command systems supports logistical and training efficiencies and enables a more flexible distribution of defence assets in theatre, moving the IRIS-T SL closer to the lower end of what longer-range systems such as the Patriot provide.

The IRIS-T SLM is a medium-range surface-to-air missile derived from the IRIS-T air-to-air missile, with development initiated in 2007 and entry into service in 2022. The missile has a combat weight of 110 kg and uses a solid fuel rocket motor with thrust vector control, reaching a maximum speed of 1020 m/s, equivalent to Mach 3. Its guidance architecture combines inertial navigation, GPS, and a two-way data link for midcourse updates, followed by terminal homing through an imaging infrared seeker. The warhead is an 11.4 kg fragmentation type with impact and proximity fuzes. The missile body incorporates a modified ogive nose cone that is jettisoned prior to the terminal phase to expose the seeker, and the propulsion unit supplied by Nammo has an enlarged diameter of 152 mm compared with the original air-launched variant.

The IRIS-T SLM system architecture consists of a Tactical Operations Center, radar units, and multiple launchers mounted on standardized 20-foot ISO container frames for road, rail, sea, and air transport, including compatibility with C-130 and A400M aircraft. A German fire unit configuration includes one Hensoldt TRML-4D radar, one IBMS-FC command post, and three launchers with eight missiles each, totaling 24 ready interceptors. The launcher is unmanned and equipped with its own fire control computer, generator, and antennas, enabling deployment up to 20 km from the Tactical Operations Center. Time to achieve firing readiness after emplacement is 10 minutes through automated leveling, and reload time is 15 minutes. Vertical launch from sealed transport and launch canisters supports rapid sequential firing for multiple target engagements.

The Hensoldt TRML-4D 3D multifunction radar operates in the G band with AESA technology based on gallium nitride power amplifiers and provides 360° azimuth coverage through antenna rotation. Instrumented detection range is 250 km with altitude coverage up to 30 km, and the radar can track up to 1500 targets simultaneously in 3D mode. It can detect targets with a minimum radar cross section of 0.01 m², identify fighter-sized targets at 120 km, and detect supersonic missiles at 60 km. An integrated identification friend or foe capability is included. An alternative radar option includes the CEA Technologies CEAFAR 3D AESA radar adapted from naval use for vehicle-based employment, operating in the S/X band and compatible with vehicles such as the MAN SX45 8×8.

The IRIS-T SLX variant, currently in development, extends the engagement envelope beyond SLM parameters and integrates into existing SLM launchers and fire units without requiring changes to the command and radar structure. SLX incorporates a dual-mode seeker combining infrared and radio frequency guidance and uses a dual pulse motor to increase kinematic reach and endgame performance. The system is intended to counter cruise missiles, aircraft, drones, and standoff weapons at extended distances. A proof of concept could be scheduled for 2029 if procurement decisions are taken within the current planning cycle. Integration of SLX into mixed load launchers supports layered defence between medium-range SLM and longer range systems such as the MIM-104 Patriot.

The IRIS-T family includes multiple variants beyond SLM and SLX, forming a tiered structure from short to extended range. IRIS-T SLS has a horizontal engagement range of 12 km and altitude coverage up to 8 km, while SLM in its standard configuration has 40 km horizontal range and 20 km altitude coverage. SLX has been associated with 80 km horizontal engagement range and 25 km altitude coverage in variants overviews, alongside the extended 100 km range and 30 km altitude figures cited with the SLM/X configuration. IRIS-T HYDEF, under development for hypersonic defence, targets engagement ranges up to 100 km and altitude coverage up to 50 km. Unit cost estimates indicate €140 million for an SLM fire unit, including radar, command post, and launchers, while individual missile costs range from €250,000 to €560,000 depending on configuration and customer.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.