Diehl Defence, a world-leading supplier of air-launched guided missile systems, announced Monday that it is integrating itslethal IRIS-T missile into the Korean-made KF-21 fighter jetto enhance the aircraft’s combat capabilities.
Martin Walzer, vice president for marketing and sales, told GBP Aerospace & Defence that the company is working to integrate its fifth-generation short-range air-to-air missile into its portfolio.
The missile offers two key advantages: a very high target-acquisition rate and the ability to detect targets extremely early, Walzer said. “You can engage targets in all aspect angles, targets that come very close to you and also that are quite far away. The missile is an European product. Parts of it come from Germany, Sweden, Norway. This makes the supply chain very stable,” Walzer said in an interview on the opening day of Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2025 at KINTEX in Goyang.
According to Walzer, a recent live-fire test involved the missile successfully shooting down a small, maneuvering target drone from a significant distance. The IRIS-T missile is designed to engage targets at close ranges and can be used in "dogfight" scenarios, with high accuracy and resistance to countermeasures.
Last year, KAI and Diehl Defence signed an MoU to advance the integration and commercialization of the IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile for the FA-50 and KF-21 aircraft.
Aside from KF21 Boramae of Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), the company plans to integrate the missile on the FA-50 aircraft. “We're integrating it onto FA50. For the Philippines, we will make the aircraft be much more capable,” he explained, noting the missile is fully integrated into several aircraft.
In June, Manila signed a deal with KAI to purchase 12 more upgraded FA-50 fighter jets to boost its defense posture in the contested South China Sea. The new FA-50 Block 70 jets will come equipped with an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, aerial refuelling capability and advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons systems.
Under the US$700 million contract, the delivery of the aircraft is scheduled between 2026 and 2030. Currently, the Philippines maintains eleven aircraft in service after one crashed in March during a mission in the southern Philippines.
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