(Bloomberg) — Chancellor Olaf Scholz has taken delivery of an advanced air defense system for the German armed forces and confirmed orders for five more systems, as well as 17 additional units for Ukraine to fend off Russian attacks.
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Speaking on Wednesday at an air base on the northern coast near Kiel, Scholz said the Bundeswehr’s procurement of the six IRIS-Ts, produced by Diehl Defence GmbH & Co. KG, would play a key role in bolstering Europe’s Sky Shield Initiative. So far, 21 countries, including the United Kingdom and Turkey, have signed up to the German-led project, which is designed to make the continent less vulnerable to air attacks at a time of rising geopolitical tensions.
The IRIS-Ts destined for Ukraine will be in addition to seven already delivered, which have helped shoot down more than 250 Russian missiles, drones and rockets and saved many lives, Scholz said. Four will be shipped before the end of this year and the rest starting next year, he promised.
“This shows that German support for Ukraine is not diminishing,” Scholz told guests including Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.
“We have planned ahead and secured contracts and financing in a timely manner so that Ukraine can continue to rely on us fully in the future,” he added. “And that also shows that our industry is very efficient — when it has the necessary planning certainty.”
Despite mounting budget constraints, Scholz’s government has been one of Ukraine’s most generous donors since Russia’s full-scale invasion, delivering or promising equipment worth some €28 billion ($31 billion), behind only the United States.
According to a government official, by 2026 Ukraine will have received 24 IRIS-T systems from Germany, 12 of the medium-range version and 12 of the shorter-range version.
The six IRIS-Ts for the Bundeswehr will cost around €950 million, said the official, who asked to remain anonymous due to confidential planning.
While Scholz has been praised for bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses, he has also been criticized for refusing to supply the Kiev government with longer-range missiles. The German leader worries that the country could be drawn into a wider conflict if the weapons he supplies are used against Russian targets.
In his speech on Wednesday, Scholz responded to criticism of his government’s decision to allow the US to station long-range conventional weapons in Germany from 2026.
The issue was central to the campaign for two regional elections in eastern Germany on Sunday, with populist parties opposed to the measure performing strongly.
“Our only goal is to deter potential attackers,” Scholz said, addressing “anyone who has doubts about this decision.”
“Any attack on us must pose a risk to the attacker,” he added. “Our goal is to ensure peace here and prevent war — and nothing else.”
Click here for an overview of the German government’s military support to Ukraine.
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