Switzerland Orders IRIS-T SLM & TRML-4D Radar under Sky Shield, Closing a Mid-Range Gap
Bern seals CHF 660 m deal for IRIS-T SLM and TRML-4D radar, closing Switzerland’s mid-range air-defence gap under the European Sky Shield Initiative.
Bern, April 2025 — Switzerland will purchase Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T SLM surface‑to‑air missile system, paired with HENSOLDT’s TRML-4D radar, to create a new mid‑range layer in its ground‑based air‑defence architecture (Bodluv MR).
Following successful operational trials of the TRML-4D radar sensor— jointly conducted by armasuisse (the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement) and the Swiss Armed Forces—negotiations with Diehl are underway to finalise the acquisition.
The CHF 660 million (≈ €647 million) deal is funded by the 2024 Swiss defence budget and will be concluded once Parliament approves the contract in Q3 2025.
Systems Cleared for Swiss Terrain: IRIS-T SLM, TRML-4D, BMS, HX2 8x8 trucks
Field trials in 2024–25 proved the radar’s tracking accuracy and de‑confliction with civilian weather radars in Switzerland’s complex Alpine electromagnetic environment.
• Shooter: IRIS‑T SLM quad‑pack missile launchers
• Sensor: Hensoldt’s TRML-4D AESA radar (S‑band)
• C2: Airbus Battle‑Management System (BMS)
• Carrier: Rheinmetall’s HX2 8x8 trucks,
The successful completion of these tests clears the way for the full stack to become the backbone of Switzerland’s future mid-range air defense.
Integration into the European Sky Shield Initiative
Switzerland’s procurement of the IRIS-T SLM and TRML-4D radar systems will occur under the framework of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) — a German-led, multinational program for integrated ground-based air defense across Europe.
Bern signed ESSI’s Letter of Intent on 11 October 2024, aligning Bodluv MR with a continental, layered IAMD architecture designed to counter the accelerating threat spectrum posed by precision-guided munitions, advanced cruise missiles, and low-signature drones.
ESSI membership provides common technical standards, pooled logistics and faster resupply—advantages that do not infringe Swiss neutrality because ESSI carries no collective‑defence clause.
Bridging Switzerland’s Mid-Range Air Defense Gap
Switzerland’s Bodluv MR project will integrate IRIS-T SLM as a dedicated mid-range intercept layer, bridging the gap between existing short-range systems and U.S.-built Patriot batteries.
The system is optimized for interception of low-flying cruise missiles, drones, and maneuvering targets — a threat set increasingly validated by recent European and Ukrainian conflict patterns.
Bodluv MR’s architecture reflects Switzerland’s pivot toward multi-layered, distributed air defense, aiming to increase survivability against saturation and precision attack profiles.
IRIS-T SLM: Operational Track Record and Force Integration
Six IRIS-T SLM batteries operated by Ukraine have reportedly achieved interception rates exceeding 90% against cruise missiles, drones, and guided rockets (Bundeswehr data, January 2025); partially reported as high as 95% (Reuters)
Germany plans to field four additional batteries in 2025, bringing the European total to ten. Eight nations have ordered IRIS-T variants to date (Germany (BMVg), Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, Slovenia), cementing the system as the de‑facto European standard for medium-range air defense for the 20–40 km band.
Strategic and Industrial Implications: Economies of Scale and Domestic Leverage
Early Swiss procurement secures production slots amid a growing European backlog.
Diehl Defence, HENSOLDT, Airbus and Rheinmetall will all benefit from economies of scale and additional positioning strength as European states recalibrate force structures and procurement timelines under post-2022 threat conditions.
Bern gains leverage for domestic industrial offsets that Parliament is expected to debate in early 2026.
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