The German BAAINBw (Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr – Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support) awarded contract to Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG for the feasability study of IRIS-T SLM guided missile system integration on F125 frigates – Baden-Württemberg-class. The tender also requires the production of a demonstrator and the integration of the latter.
The information released are as follow (Translated from German by Naval News):
“The object is the production of a risk analysis with production of a system demonstrator of the IRIS-T SLM guided missile system on a class 125 frigate (F125). This is to be carried out as part of a level 3 research and technology (R&T) study. Level 3 R&T will be carried out up to a technical readiness level of level 6, corresponding to a system demonstrator. The feasibility of integrating IRIS T SLM with the existing land-based launchers on F125 will be investigated.”
Further details were also provided such as the contract calls for the design and the delivery of a mounting frame for two land-based IRIS-T SLM launchers, their integration including the connection of the launchers to the operations center and to the radars.
For the record IRIS-T SLM guided missile is a surface-air system with a range of approximately 40km designed and built by the German company Diehl Defence GmbH. Initially mounted on trucks for anti-air defence, the system was also adapted in container to offer additional modularity and place it easily on other platforms. The company is since working on a naval version to integrate the IRIS-T SLM missile in Mk 41 vertical launching system.
This system would enhanced considerably the capabilities from the F125 which lack of AAW and ASW systems. This was a factor which led to the non-crossing of the Red Sea by Baden-Wuerrtemberg as the ship was returning from deployment in the Indo-Pacific earlier this year as reported by Naval News.
About IRIS-T SL
The new surface-to-air guided missile IRIS-T SL (Surface Launched) is an upgraded version of the IRIS-T air-to-air guided missile. Contracted by the Bundeswehr, it was developed for Tactical Air Defence and was qualified for in-service use in 2017.
Compared with the basic version, IRIS-T SL features an enhanced rocket motor for extended range. The newly introduced data link, in connection with a GPS-based inertial navigation system, allows controlling the missile from a combat center. During terminal approach the missile guides itself directly to the target.
SLS is the short-range version, while SLM means medium range surface launched version of IRIS-T missile.
The IRIS-T SL missile is launched from a multi-function container (for storage, transport and firing) providing 360° protection against aircraft, helicopters, drones and other missiles. It can easily be integrated into various existing and future air defence systems through connection to fire control systems via standardized and software-based interfaces.
In September 2024, German Air Force gained initial operational capability with the completion of training for the first operators for the ground-based air defence system IRIS-T SLM.
About F125 class frigates
The F125 frigate project was launched in June 2007, with contracts worth $3 billion inked with the ARGE F125 consortium ( formed by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems and Friedrich Lurssen Werft and Blohm + Voss) for four vessels.
Production of the lead ship started in June 2011. The ship was christened in 2013 but delivery, which was scheduled for 2014, was postponed to after 2017 after majors issues were undisclosed by a confidential report May 2017. This report then unveiled that the frigates were overweight and slightly listing by 1.3 degrees starboard. The ship was rejected by the German Navy in December 2017 and returned to its builder.
The issues were corrected in April 2019, when the vessel was finally handed over to the German Navy. First-in-class ship “Baden-Württemberg” was commissioned in June 2019, “Nordrhein-Westfalen” joined the fleet one year later in June 2020 , the third one “Sachsen-Anhalt” in May 2021, and finally the fourth and last one “Rheinland-Pfalz” was commissioned in July 2022.
Key data for the F125:
Length: 149 m
Width: 18 m
Maximum speed: >26 knots
Displacement: approx. 7,200 t
Crew: max. 190 (of which up to 120 regular crew members)
Major armament: 1 × 127 mm lightweight Otobreda naval gun, 2x RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile, 2 × 27 mm MLG 27 remote-controlled autocannons, 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles
