The European air defense initiative Sky Shield is slowly taking concrete shape in Austria: as was presented on Tuesday afternoon, Austria, together with Germany and other partner countries, will purchase the IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile in the two versions SLS and SLM. The missiles have earned a legendary reputation in Kiev’s defense.
The choice has been made: Austria will receive anti-aircraft missiles that deserve this name for the first time since the Second World War. And with which targets can be engaged at a distance of up to 50 kilometers. Whether it concerns tricked drones, supersonic cruise missiles or enemy aircraft.
Short and medium distance
For this purpose, the IRIS-T system from the German manufacturer Diehl is purchased in both versions
- four SLS (surface launched – short range, i.e. on the ground and short range up to 25 kilometers)
- four pieces of SLM (surface launch – medium range, i.e. ground and medium range up to 50 kilometers)
IRIS-T is not unknown in Austria; the missile itself has been attached to Eurofighters as a guided missile for years. Based on this missile, the manufacturer later developed a ground-based version, in which the missiles are fired from a ground-based launch unit at incoming targets – and immediately sent them to Ukraine before the German armed forces got hold of them.
Reliable but expensive
According to Ukrainian information, the “miracle weapon” in Kiev is said to have achieved a hit rate of almost 100 percent. The system is considered state-of-the-art and reliable, but also expensive. A shot costs around 400,000 euros, which could become a major economic problem for national defense, especially with swarms of cheap drones. In these cases, an old, already decommissioned system offered a solution: the Flak (anti-aircraft gun).
Joint training with Germany
To make it cheaper, at least in terms of training, cooperation is being called upon: “A state-of-the-art air defense training center is currently being built in Germany on the Baltic Sea, in which Sky Shield anti-aircraft units from all over Europe can be trained,” explained Brigadier General Gerfried Promberger during an appointment at the Ministry of Defense in Vienna. “We now need something that is available on the market and can work with other countries – not something that is just being developed.” Other systems, such as the British CAMM, were also in the running for the deal, which was estimated at up to two billion euros from manufacturer MBDA.
The minister rejects the issue of neutrality
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner has prophylactically dismissed all neutrality concerns: no international lawyer has raised objections to Sky Shield so far. Only one political competitor jumped on this bandwagon. “We do not violate Austria’s neutrality with Sky Shield. We protect them.” The system is expected to be used by the federal military from 2026.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
