Lockheed Martin and Germany’s Diehl Defence have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore expanded integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) cooperation for surface combatant programmes, including studying integration of Diehl’s IRIS‑T surface‑to‑air missile with the Mk 41 vertical launch system to compete for naval air‑defense contracts.
Discovered |
Briefing
The MoU formalises a U.S.–German industrial tie‑up to pursue integrated air and missile defence for surface combatants, explicitly including a technical study to mate IRIS‑T with the Mk 41 VLS.
The move builds on Lockheed’s expanding European naval footprint — including Germany’s recent selection of Lockheed Martin Canada’s CMS 330 (https://hype.aero/?story=1f817e8a-5c3e-4fbf-b651-58714082bd8a) — and follows its active marketing of missile‑defence solutions to European customers (https://hype.aero/?story=c3b7e66c-6952-4ed7-8ac7-79a96e39f21d).
For procurement and industrial planners, the partnership reshapes competitive dynamics for naval IAMD packages and will be relevant to upcoming surface combatant programme decisions and export considerations.
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Aviation Week
• Robert Wall