Diehl launches IRIS-T Block II development and production

An IRIS-T fitted to the wing pylon of a Luftwaffe Eurofighter combat aircraft. Diehl Defence has now launched development of the Block II version of the air-launched missile. (Diehl Defence )

Diehl Defence has launched development and production of the IRIS-T Block II air-to-air missile, announcing on 30 January a contract with the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw).

Signed in December 2024, the contract will see IRIS-T lead country Germany joined by international partners Italy, Spain, and Sweden. Original consortium partners Greece and Norway were not included in this latest announcement.

“The BAAINBw signed the contract on behalf of this consortium. The IRIS-T Block II contract marks an important milestone for the future of IRIS-T,” Diehl Defence said.

IRIS-T is an acronym that translates as InfraRed Imaging System – Tail/Thrust Vector Controlled. Diehl Defence did not disclose any details pertaining to the IRIS-T Block II, but as noted in Janes Weapons: Air Launched, the baseline IRIST-T that it will build on is a short‐range all‐aspect IR homing missile that has both air-to-air and, when given an updated software insertion, air-to-surface capabilities.

Featuring both lock‐on‐before‐launch (LOBL) and lock‐on‐after‐launch (LOAL) capabilities, the IRIS-T is fitted with a high-explosive (HE) fragmentation warhead, which is detonated by a radar‐assisted proximity fuze. Its maximum range is 25 km.