Diehl Defence successfully participated in the “Maritime Firing Exercise 2025” (MFE) – the German Navy’s largest missile firing exercise in three decades – with a navalized system demonstrator of the proven IRIS-T SLM ground-based air defence system. The exercise, known as “Andøya”, allows the crews to train complex weapon systems and procedures under almost real conditions.
Diehl Defence press release
A so-called AAW module (Anti Air Warfare module) was developed in record time in close cooperation with the customer and integrated on the C-Deck of the frigate “Baden-Württemberg” (type F125). The demonstrator was implemented in less than ten months from the idea to the actual firing.
The IRIS-T SLM system, which has already demonstrated to be combat-proven in Ukraine, showcased its well-known qualities also on the high seas and met all the test and trial targets set for the MFE 2025. The navalized IRIS-T SLM system confirmed its high hit rate. Diehl Defence has thus reached the important milestone of having successfully tested a navalized variant of an air defence system with a missile of the IRIS-T family for the first time.
The successful test paves the way for the series introduction of IRIS-T SLM for the navy. The company thus once again underlines its role as a reliable and long-standing partner of the German Navy and demonstrates its ability to contribute to fast, target-oriented and efficient procurement in Germany.
– End –
Naval News Comments:
The German Navy is applying lessons from operational experiences particularly in the Red Sea. Deploying with the European escort mission Aspides, protecting civilian shipping against missile and drone attacks by the Yemen-based Houthi militia, German naval contributions focused on the Sachsen-class of AAW-frigates, deploying frigate Hessen (F221) from February to April 2024 in the region.
Meanwhile the Baden-Wuerttemberg-class, also known as F125 frigates, illustrated longstanding concerns over their limited missile self defence capability. The first of class, Baden-Wuerttemberg (F222), had to avoid the region, returning from her “Indo-Pacific Deployment 2024” with fleet supply ship Frankfurt am Main (A1412) by taking the long way around the Cape of Good Hope, returning to Europe in December of last year. The primary concern centered on limited self-defence capability for both the F125 frigate and the auxiliary.
Iris-T SLM is a medium range air defence missile system with an effective intercept range of 40 km at a maximum altitude of 20 km. While not capable of significant defence against ballistic missiles, the design will nevertheless notably enhance F125 self defence against air-breathing targets, including both supersonic antiship missiles, drones and aircraft.
Presently F125 frigates self defence capability consists of 42 rounds of RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM). RAM offers an effective range around 9 km. Based on available imagery of the demonstrator so far the missile capacity for Iris T-SLM appears limited. However, the present configuration represents a testing setup only. A finalised design may carry a larger number of rounds. Nevertheless, the deployment of a navalised Iris-T SLM offers a qualitative leap of capability for F125. The design in essence provides an ESSM-like self defence weapon. The improved survivability may provide a much needed image boost for a frigate design repeatedly questioned over its long term utility for the German Navy.
