German arms maker Diehl to ramp up production of IRIS-T air defence system

German arms maker Diehl Defence aims to significantly ramp up the production of its IRIS-T air defence system to satisfy growing demand due to Russia's war on Ukraine, Chief Program Officer Harald Buschek said on Tuesday.

German arms maker Diehl Defence aims to significantly ramp up the production of its IRIS-T air defence system to satisfy growing demand due to Russia's war on Ukraine, Chief Program Officer Harald Buschek said on Tuesday. In 2025, the privately owned company plans to build at least eight systems, up from three to four systems this year, he told reporters at the northern German air base in Todendorf.

He added the missile production was being tripled this year and would be further doubled next year, with an expected output of some 400 to 500 missiles from 2024. Germany has supplied two IRIS-T units to Ukraine so far where they are mainly used to guard Kyiv against Russian missile attacks.

Buschek said Ukraine had shot down more than 110 targets in Ukraine, most of these cruise missiles such as the Kalibr, with a hit rate of almost 100%.