Germany announces plans to supply new IRIS-T for Ukraine

Germany handed over two IRIS-T medium– and short-range air defence systems to Ukraine last week.

Major General Christian Freuding, Head of the Bundeswehr's Situation Center Ukraine at the German Ministry of Defence, said in an interview with RND  that Germany continues to provide high-level assistance to Ukraine.

"Just last week, we handed over two IRIS-T SLM and SLS air defence systems," he stressed and noted that the country plans to supply two more air defence systems by the end of the year.

Freuding stated that the supply of light armoured vehicles and main battle tanks, as well as a significant amount of artillery ammunition, would also continue.

On 20 August, the German government announced that it plans to supply four more IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine by the end of the year.

In early September, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz confirmed the order of additional IRIS-T air defence systems of various configurations for the Bundeswehr and the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In a commentary to Bloomberg, he clarified that Ukraine would receive 24 IRIS-T systems from Germany by 2026: 12 medium-range and 12 short-range systems. Earlier, Reuters reported on the delivery of IRIS-T SLM systems to Ukraine.