The F-15SA fleet currently uses the US-made AIM-9X missile. According to the Arab Defense, the integration of IRIS-T suggests an expansion of available weapon options rather than a direct replacement, News.Az reports, citing Militarnyi.
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Such diversification may be aimed at exploiting technical differences between the two systems in different combat scenarios or improving interoperability between Saudi Arabia’s F-15SA and Eurofighter Typhoon fleets, which also use European missiles, thereby increasing training flexibility and logistical support.
IRIS-T
The IRIS-T is a European short-range air-to-air missile developed by a consortium led by Germany, with participation from Italy, Sweden, Greece, Norway, and Spain.
Development began in response to the US AIM-9X and the need for a new-generation, highly maneuverable missile for Eurofighter aircraft. It entered service in 2005 and has since become the standard short-range missile for most European combat aircraft.
The IRIS-T is in service with most countries operating the Eurofighter Typhoon, including Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, and Saudi Arabia. It has also been integrated into the JAS 39 Gripen in Sweden and Hungary, the F-16 in Norway, Greece, and Oman, and the F/A-18 in several countries with adapted integration kits.
The system has since been adapted for ground-based air defense use, with the IRIS-T SLS short-range and IRIS-T SLM medium-range systems becoming widely used, including in Ukraine.
The missile is equipped with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker capable of generating a full image of the target rather than relying solely on heat signature detection. This improves its ability to distinguish real aircraft from decoys.
A key feature is the combination of a thrust-vectoring system and gas-dynamic control surfaces, giving the missile high maneuverability of up to 60 g and enabling engagement of targets at high off-boresight angles of more than 90 degrees.
The missile has an effective range of about 25 km and is designed to intercept highly maneuverable supersonic targets.
In 2024, the German government approved the sale of 150 IRIS-T air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia after a five-year embargo. The embargo had been imposed over Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the Yemen conflict and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
According to the SIPRI arms transfer database, Saudi Arabia ordered a total of 1,400 IRIS-T missiles for its air force in 2009, delivered between 2010 and 2014.
