Hensoldt secures over €100 million ESSI radar orders to boost European air defence capabilities

By Martin Chomsky (Defence Industry Europe)

Switzerland has signed a contract to procure five IRIS-T SLM air defence systems to protect its population against medium-range aerial threats. The purchase, worth around 500 million Swiss Francs, is part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI).
Photo: Diehl Defence.

German sensor specialist Hensoldt has received orders worth more than 100 million euros from Diehl Defence under the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI). The contracts cover additional TRML-4D high-performance radars, including maintenance and training packages, for deployment in several European countries.

 

The radars will be integrated into Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T SLM air defence system and used across ESSI participating states as part of efforts to strengthen continental air defence. The orders underline growing demand for interoperable systems amid heightened security concerns in Europe.

“There is enormous pent-up demand in European air defence, and the threats posed by air attacks are more complex and varied than they were a few years ago,” said Markus Rothmaier, Head of Naval & Ground Radars at Hensoldt. “Digital technologies – keyword ‘software-defined defence’ – are increasingly enabling existing capabilities to be linked, software-based modernisations to be rolled out and development cycles to be massively shortened.”

 

 

He added: “We are also working on this with our air defence radars, thereby increasing the efficiency and performance of our products.” The TRML-4D radar, based on AESA technology, can detect and track around 1,500 targets at ranges of up to 250 kilometres and has demonstrated strong reconnaissance performance, including in Ukraine.

Hensoldt said the system can rapidly detect, track and classify a wide range of air threats, including cruise missiles, rockets, drones and aircraft. The company added that, alongside TRML-4D, its portfolio includes Spexer short-range radars, Twinvis passive radar and systems for maritime and air traffic security.

 

 

The company said it has decades of experience in air defence radar technology and continues to develop key capabilities in the field. Under the ESSI initiative, Hensoldt already holds contracts for more than 150 radars of various types.

 

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