Supply of Iris-T air defense systems promised by Scholz to Ukraine will take months, - Baerbock
The German Federal Government has lowered expectations that the Iris-T air defense system announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz will be quickly delivered to Ukraine.
According to Censor.NЕТ, with reference to Іnterfax-Ukraine, this is stated Die Welt.
"Yes, it will actually take months," German Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told in the Bundestag on Wednesday.
The air defense system manufactured by Diehl Armaments was produced for another country, but it will be redirected to Ukraine at the request of the Federal Government, and the process will take some time.
Scholz announced the delivery of Iris-T air defense systems to Ukraine on Wednesday during a joint debate on the 2022 budget in the Bundestag. He noted that it is the most advanced air defense system Germany has. "When we act in this way, we give Ukraine the opportunity to protect an entire city from Russian air raids," the Chancellor said.
The coalition told the publication that it is the Iris-T-SLM surface-to-air missile system, which has already been supplied to Egypt. The Bundeswehr does not have this system, but uses Iris-T guided missiles, which are launched from Tornado or Eurofighter aircraft and search the target themselves using infrared and radar radiation.
Ukraine has asked for "modern" military systems to be sent, Baerbock said. "That's what we're doing now," she said.
