Demonstrates Interoperability and Potentially Accelerates Procurement

Supported by programme partners Airbus and Hensoldt and led by the German Air Force, Diehl Defence has demonstrated ithe interoperability of the IRIS-T SLM ground-based air defence system during NATO’s Joint Project Optic Windmill (JPOW) exercise in March in the Netherlands, the company announced on 11 May.

Held every two years, the main focus of this year’s JPOW was integrated air defence and interoperability at all levels of command – ‘Peer Opponent, Multi Domain’ – with 13 nations conducting both individual experiments and joint exercises. With interoperability a key factor in enabling joint reconnaissance, the Diehl system operated as German Air Force ‘future system,’ with a German and Dutch Control and Reporting Centre (CAC) and a German Surface-to-Air Missile Operations Centre (SAMOC) command post. Connectivity, time synchronisation and air situation exchange within the network was tested to showcase interoperability.

The management of tactical data links necessary for this, as well as command and control experiments, were also part of the exercise. Achievement of this programme milestone will help accelerate immediate procurement of the system by the German government.