Donated IRIS-T in Ukraine: is it worth praising like that?
New boast of the Ukrainian side: Germany will supply Ukraine with the latest IRIS-T anti-aircraft missile systems. And this can significantly complicate the work of the Russian aviation and generally speaking.
Unfortunately, on our side there were "experts" (on Channel One, of course), who began to praise the new air defense system. They say that the missiles are deadly, it is impossible to notice them, it is unrealistic to distract them.
Naturally, it is worthwhile to impartially consider this air defense system, if only in order to simply understand whether it is really so dangerous for Russian aircraft.
To say that the IRIS-T rocket is something new and breakthrough can only be an "expert" from television. The project was developed by the whole of Europe and not only. Canada participated in the project, which, however, then withdrew from the work on the creation of the rocket. And so they built almost the whole of Europe.
Germany built the rocket as the main contractor, contributed 64% of the money and was responsible for the homing head.
Italy took over 19% of the funding and work on the engine.
Sweden contributed 18% of the budget and created the onboard computer, the data processing unit.
Greece contributed 13% and created a warhead.
Norway contributed 4% of the budget and engine work.
Canada, before leaving, worked out the issue of rudders.
The list of companies participating in the project is impressive, there are many names that are very closely related to the world of weapons: Saab Bofors Dynamics (Sweden), NAMMO (Norway), MBDA-IT (Italy), LITAL (Italy), Magnaghi (Italy) , Simmel (Italy), SENER (Spain), ICSA (Spain), EXPAL (Spain), INTRACOM (Greece), HDS (Greece). The main contractor is Diehl BGT Defense (Germany).
The development of the rocket went on for exactly 10 years, from 1995 to 2005. After a series of tests, the IRIS-T was adopted by the Luftwaffe. Initially, the rocket was created as an air-to-air class.
The result was an all-weather and universal missile, suitable for hitting targets, including in conditions of maneuverable combat at close range. IRIS-T was supposed to replace the American AIM-9X missile and the British ASRAAM, which, according to the German command, did not meet the requirements of the time and, most importantly, were inferior in performance to the Soviet R-73 missile.
IRIS-T has become part of the armament of the Typhoon, Tornado, Gripen, F-16 and F-18 fighters.
The rocket turned out to be very successful. A dual-mode solid-propellant engine from Fiat-Avia accelerated the rocket to a speed of 3M, in addition, the engine was equipped with a thrust vector control system, which, coupled with aerodynamic rudders, provided the highest maneuverability. According to the calculations of the designers, the IRIS-T could perform maneuvers with an overload of up to 60g and have a 180-degree turn radius that is half that of the P-73.
Warhead missiles, created by Greek designers, high-explosive fragmentation, weighing 11,4 kg. Undermining is carried out by a non-contact radio fuse, or an ordinary contact one.
The homing head, created by German engineers and the inertial control system from the Italians, provide the rocket with very tenacious and accurate guidance. The IR matrix is fixed, and the elements of the optical system are placed on a suspension and provide an angle of "view" up to +/- 90 degrees. The digital data processing system guarantees high calculation speed, noise immunity and reliable target acquisition with subsequent auto-tracking.
The first part of the flight is carried out by the rocket on a GPS signal, and the homing system is activated directly next to the target. As it approaches the target, the data processing system compares the image of the target obtained by the optical system and the images of typical targets stored in the memory of the data block. Thus, missile guidance is difficult to bring down by interference or maneuvering. Moreover, the algorithms of the guidance unit allow you to select the most vulnerable areas of the target to hit from the database.
Advanced European electronics make it possible to target the missile both from on-board sighting devices and from modern helmet-mounted ones. The missile is launched after the target is captured, but it is also possible according to the primary target designation. Due to its high maneuverability, IRIS-T can be launched at target viewing angles of more than 90 degrees and even beyond the viewing angles of the seeker. This makes it possible to use the IRIS-T as an anti-missile defense of the aircraft.
The high degree of adaptation of the IRIS-T missile makes it possible to use all launchers of AIM-9 missiles of all modifications for launching.
The only downside of IRIS-T is its short range.
The maximum reliable range of the IRIS-T missile is only about 20 km. The IRIS-T's capture and guidance capabilities were impressive, but it is worth noting that in the same 1995, when work on the missile had just begun, the RVV-SD or R-77 missile was adopted in Russia. This is a medium-range missile, slightly larger in mass, but not much inferior in terms of its combat characteristics.
A short-range missile is a very effective weapon, a point-blank missile is a hard-to-intercept target for any aircraft. But the main problem of an aircraft armed with such missiles is that it still needs to be approached at a confident launch distance. And preferably unnoticed.
As an example, you can take the trivial Eurofighter-Typhoon with AMRAAM medium-range missiles and AIM-9 short-range missiles and oppose it with the Su-35S with medium-range R-77 and long-range R-37.
The distance of a confident defeat for a Russian fighter will be 250 km more than for a European. The situation is similar to that of a shooter with a pistol, who is confronted in the field by an enemy with an automatic rifle.
So how successful IRIS-T is is still a question.
But the Europeans went further and created the SL / SLM ground-based anti-aircraft missile system based on IRIS-T. The rocket for the complex was modified by installing a more powerful engine and increasing the amount of fuel.
Thanks to the work carried out, the range of the missile increased to 40 km, and the reach in height - 20 km.
To the standard inertial-satellite guidance, radio channel guidance was added in the main section of the missile’s flight, and in the final section, like that of an air-launched missile, the IR-GOS operates.
A multifunctional radar is responsible for detecting and tracking targets. Different SAM configurations used different radars, the Swedish Saab "Giraffe", the Australian CEA Technologies CEAFAR radar with an active phased array. The BMD-Flex control and communication system of the Danish company Terma A / S and the Oerlikon Skymaster combat control system manufactured by Rheinmetall Air Defense.
The radar provides target designation with an infrared seeker, can track up to 200 targets and direct missiles at 24 selected ones. The radar is protected against anti-radar or tactical missiles.
The standard launcher of the SLM variant is made on the chassis of a MAN SX 45 (8x8) car
Features:
Maximum firing range, km: 25 (according to other sources 12.5)
Maximum flight speed, M: 3
Combat ceiling, m: 20
Starting weight, kg: 87,4
The mass of the warhead, kg: 11,4
Operating range of wavelengths of GOS, microns: 3-5
If you look at the air defense system, then it is good in numbers. A modern radar station, modern electronics protection, a fairly fresh missile... We can say that it could even be a competitor to the Torah, but...
But for this it would be very useful to conduct normal tests in a combat situation. In the conditions of jamming, external influences in the form of the use of artillery and army aviation, and so on.
And here the most interesting begins.
Yes, Germany promised Ukraine these air defense systems. In quantities not yet determined, but promised. Together with modern radars and self-propelled guns PzH 2000. However, you should not rejoice as prematurely as the media in Ukraine do.
Here you can remember how Poland delivered to Ukraine Tanks T-72 (in an ugly state, we note), waiting in response to the "Leopards" 2A4 under the "circular exchange" program. Old Soviet tanks have made their way to Ukraine, but Leopards have not yet made it to Poland.
And now Mr. Scholz, Chancellor of Germany, promises "a lot of tasty things" to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
In fact, an air defense system with IRIS-T missiles is not such a gift. The complex only finished testing in 2022, and the fact is known that the Bundeswehr itself has such a number of these complexes that the Germans could painlessly transfer to Ukraine. After all, this means that it will be possible to really say goodbye to them.
So the "some amount" that the Germans can send to the Ukrainians will be very small. I think that their number will not exceed 10 units. Even in order to protect a certain number of the most important objects, this is not enough.
But in order to conduct a full test is enough.
After all, what is the main problem of Ukrainian air defense? We have already considered this issue on our pages more than once. The main problem of the Ukrainian sky is the lack of a layered air defense system. And in our case, also the system that was thoroughly chipped by the blows of the Russian troops.
Therefore, single deliveries of German air defense systems will not change the situation at all. Moreover, the German media has repeatedly raised the topic of dissatisfaction with the military of the Bundeswehr, who disagree with the fact that new equipment, which has not even been properly mastered, is given away for no reason somewhere to nowhere.
Indeed, it is one thing to give away old Soviet tanks, planes, helicopters, guns and ammunition for them, and another to give away your new equipment. For which, unlike the Soviet one, it was paid for in full euros.
So, despite all the cries of joy from “in Ukraine”, single deliveries of new air defense systems (which in fact are not so new) will not be able to rectify the situation at all. To give the German military an idea of the value of IRIS-T in real-world applications - yes. But you should not count on the fact that the attraction of unprecedented generosity will continue for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the future.
In addition, it will be useful for our side. It will be useful to know how our Vitebsk can withstand IRIS-T. And will the German infrared seeker magically work so much.
Nothing personal, this is no longer a political business. It's just that armies need to know what their equipment is capable of. And the fact that the Germans want to organize this at the expense of Ukraine - well, who will forbid it, right?
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