IRIS-T

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IRIS-T
IRIS-T
Basic data
Function	Air to Air Missile
Manufacturer	Diehl BGT Defence <tr><td>Unit cost</td><td>400,000 €</td></tr>
Entered service	December 2005
General characteristics
Engine
Launch mass	87.4 kg
Length	2936 mm
Diameter	127 mm <tr><td>Wingspan</td><td>447 mm</td></tr>
Speed	Mach 2+
Range	~12 km<tr><td>Flying altitude</td><td>Sea level to 20,000 m</td></tr><tr><td>Warhead</td><td>HE/Fragmentation</td></tr><tr><td>Guidance</td><td>Infrared</td></tr><tr><td>Fuzes</td><td>Impact and active radar proximity fuze</td></tr> <tr><td>Launch platform</td><td>Users: Image:Flag of Germany.svg Germany: Typhoon Image:Flag of Greece.svg Greece: F-16 Image:Flag of Italy.svg Italy: Typhoon Image:Flag of Norway.svg Norway: F-16 Image:Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden: Gripen Image:Flag of Austria.svg Austria: Typhoon Image:Flag of Spain.svg Spain: F-18, Typhoon</td></tr>

IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector-Controlled) is a German-led program to develop a short-range air-to-air missile to replace the AIM-9 Sidewinder.

1 History
2 Notes
3 Combat performance
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] History

In the 1980s, West Germany was a partner with the United Kingdom in the ASRAAM program. But after German reunification, Germany found itself with large stockpiles of the AA-11 Archer and concluded that the AA-11's capabilities had been noticeably under-estimated. In particular, it was found to be both far more manoeuvrable, and far more capable in terms of seeker acquisition and tracking. These conclusions led Germany to question certain aspects of the design of ASRAAM, particularly the lack of thrust vectoring to aid manoeuvrability. Germany and Britain could not come to an agreement about the design of ASRAAM, so in 1990 Germany withdrew from the ASRAAM project; Britain continued alone to produce and procure ASRAAM.

In 1995, Germany announced the IRIS-T development program, in collaboration with Greece, Italy, Norway, Sweden and Canada. Canada later dropped out.

Workshare arrangements for IRIS-T development are:

Germany 46%
Italy 19%
Sweden 18%
Greece 13%
4% split between Canada and Norway.

In 2003 Spain joined as a partner for procurement.

The Luftwaffe took first delivery of the missile on the 5th of December 2005.

IDAS, a navalized version of the missile, is also being developed for the new Type 212 submarine of the German Navy. IDAS is supposed to engange air threats, small or medium surface vessels or near land targets.

In addition to the MEADS program, the German airforce plans to integrate a land-launched version of the missile, called IRIS-T SL / IRIS-T SLS, into this program.