Saab Receive Order Worth MSEK 850 for IRIS-T Missile

Jun. 01, 2005

(Source: Saab AB; issued June 1, 2005)

Saab Bofors Dynamics have received a production order from German Diehl BGT Defense (DBD) for subsystems of the IRIS-T IR-guided air-to-air missile worth approximately MSEK 850.

IRIS-T has been developed in an international joint project between Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Norway and Greece, under German management.

"This order is a result of a successful cooperation with our German partner DBD. Additionally, it strengthens our role as a supplier of advanced missile subsystems", says company President Tomas Samuelsson.

The order involves production of the Signal Processing Unit and the Aircraft Interface Unit, which distributes signals between the aircraft and internally within the missile. The series production starts in 2005 and will be ongoing until 2011.

Saab is one of the world's leading high-technology companies, with its main operations focusing on defense, aviation and space. The group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capabilities in systems integration. (ends)

BACKGROUND: Diehl Wins Series Contract for Guided Missile IRIS-T

Jun. 01, 2005

(Source: Diehl Group; issued December 21, 2004)

On December 20, 2004, the contract covering series production of the air-to air guided missile IRIS-T was signed by the Federal Office for Military Technology and Procurement (BWB) and Diehl BGT Defence & Co. KG, a company of the Nuremberg-based Diehl Group.

The BWB acted on behalf of all six European nations participating in the IRIS-T program. The series production contract is worth 1 billion Euros and makes an essential contribution to safeguarding core capabilities at Diehl.

In the IRIS-T program, Germany acts as lead nation and Diehl BGT Defence as prime contractor. The IRIS-T guided missile was developed in a multi-national European program under the lead of the industrial prime contractor Diehl BGT Defence.

IRIS-T is a successor of the Sidewinder missile produced in US license. The dog fight-optimised IRIS-T will be operational on modern combat aircraft such as the Eurofighter, Tornado, F-16 and F-18 in the air forces of Germany, Greece, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden. Deliveries of the more than 4.000 IRIS-T guided missiles will last until 2011.

The air-to-air missile IRIS-T is also being considered for a surface-launched role and other forms of air defence.

Diehl once again proves its leading position in missile expertise by winning the contract on series production of IRIS-T.

-ends-