U.S., German Firms Unite to Advance Integrated Air, Missile Defense

(MENAFN) Lockheed Martin and Diehl Defence unveiled a landmark defense integration Tuesday, marking the first time a European-designed missile will be incorporated into America's Aegis naval warfare architecture—a move set to bolster allied air defense capabilities against evolving threats.

The transatlantic accord, formalized through a memorandum of understanding at the Berlin Security Conference, will see Germany's IRIS-T missile family merged with Aegis combat management technology to create advanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems for partner militaries.

Chandra Marshall, Vice President at Lockheed Martin, emphasized the deepening industrial ties during the signing event, stating: "We have partnered with German industry for more than five decades, and we are proud to deepen our relationships by working with leading innovators such as Diehl Defence."

Helmut Rauch, CEO of Diehl Defence, characterized the integration as historic, noting it represents the first European missile ever integrated into the combat system.

"We are proud to intensify our collaboration," he said.

Originally engineered for terrestrial air defense operations targeting hostile aircraft, the IRIS-T platform has gained significant international recognition through its operational deployment in Ukraine, where it has been instrumental in intercepting Russian aerial assaults.

Lockheed Martin's Aegis infrastructure currently operates on US Navy warships and naval fleets across numerous allied countries, including several NATO member states.

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