Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has signed a memorandum of understanding with Diehl Defence, the producer of the IRIS-T air defense system.
The agreement comes amid the US suspension of its aid for Ukraine and intelligence data sharing. Meanwhile, the main issue for Kyiv’s air defenses remains the US-made Patriot air defense system, the only system capable of intercepting Russian ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
The IRIS-T missile system is not specifically designed to intercept ballistic missiles. It is focused on engaging air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, anti-radar rockets, and large-caliber rockets, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles and other small maneuvering targets.
Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov confirmed the news, stating that the agreement opens the door to major industrial projects aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
The memorandum also includes a threefold increase in the supply of missiles and air defense systems.
“I thank Diehl Defence for their trust and readiness to collaborate. It’s crucial that leading global defense companies are stepping up to support Ukraine. The free world stands with us, and together, we are unlocking new opportunities to reinforce our defense,” Umerov said.
Ukraine’s air defense is actively utilizing the IRIS-T SLS and SLM systems to protect its cities and infrastructure.
In mid-February, German representatives in NATO announced that Ukraine would soon receive about 100 guided missiles for its IRIS-T systems from Germany.
Earlier, the reports said Europe may establish a Sky Shield system to stop Russian missile attacks on Ukraine.
The European Air Force, which would consist of 120 fighter jets, could be deployed to protect the skies from Russian attacks on Kyiv and Western Ukraine without provoking a conflict with Moscow, a plan developed by military experts explains.
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