Diehl Defence, Korean LIG Nex1 to Cooperate on IRIS-T Air-to-air Missile Systems

Germany’s Diehl Defence has signed a MoU with LIG Nex1, a Korean defence contractor for cooperation in supporting the short range missile, IRIS-T which has been selected as the air-to-air weapon for Korea’s KF-21 fighter.

The MOU was signed during ADEX International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition, held last week in Seoul (Korea).

Since Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T has been selected for the KF-21, Diehl Defence is gradually building up cooperation projects with Korean industry partners. With its expertise as a missile manufacturer, LIG Nex1 is the perfect match in the country to support the IRIS-T program, Diehl Defence said in a release.

The collaboration of Diehl Defence and LIG Nex1 comes as addition to the previous partnerships signed by Diehl Defence with Korea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. (KAI), beginning in 2017 with the start of the integration of IRIS-T into the KF-21 fighter. This was followed by a MoU, signed during ADEX 2021, on the integration of IRIS-T on KAI’s FA-50/T-50 as well.

Diehl Defence’s increased cooperation with Korean companies opens a new chapter in the success story of the IRIS-T missile. With growing demands in the Asian market for missile systems, Korean industry partners are becoming more and more involved in the program and will gain benefits from these demands.

Beyond opening up new market opportunities for IRIS-T applications, Diehl Defence is also incrementally developing new versions of IRIS-T. This ongoing work will provide IRIS-T with an increased performance potential protecting platforms from the threats of today and tomorrow.

By upgrading the current serial status of its missile, Diehl Defence ensures many more years of service life for IRIS-T to come.