SAAF unveils new IRIS-T missile
Date: 1 February 2010
By Dean Wingrin
The newly delivered IRIS-T air-to-air missile was shown to the public for the first time at the SAAF Parade held at Swartkop airfield on Friday 29 January 2010.
It was announced in May 2008 that Diehl BGT Defence of Germany has signed a contract with the SAAF to supply the IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System - Tail control) for integration into the latter's fleet of Gripen fighters. The SAAF had chosen the missile as an interim short range air-to-air missile until development of the South African designed and built A-Darter is complete.
Lt Gen Carlo Gagiano, Chief of the SAAF, said that "this missile is the state of the art high kill probability short range air missile with unrivalled performance capabilities which, when coupled to a helmet mounted display can engage air threats in the rear quarter of the aircraft as is the case with the SAAF Gripens".
The integrated helmet-mounted display (IHMD) referred to by Gagiano is the Cobra, produced by the South African company Cumulus.
