The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has strengthened its cooperation with Diehl Defence through a new agreement for the technical and logistical support of the IRIS-T missile system, designed for use on short-range fighter aircraft. With this contract signed in early October in Germany but disclosed by Diehl only in these hours, RTAF aims to optimize the performance of its air forces thanks to the improvement of the integration and technical support of the IRIS-T on its aircraft.

The IRIS-T, a fifth-generation air-to-air missile, is already equipped on the Thai Air Force's Gripen, F-16 and F-5 fighter jets, thus highlighting their effectiveness, and paving the way for the expansion of the protocol to other aircraft models, including the F-5 TH Super Tigris single-seat light fighter, for which the integration has been perfectly successful.

The IRIS-T (Infra Red Imaging System Tail-Thrust Vector Controlled, intended to replace the AIM-9L/M Sidewinder), stands out for being fully compatible with a wide range of fighter aircraft, including Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen, F-16, EF-18, F-5 and Tornado. Its integration is now also planned on the new KF-21 fighter from Korean Aerospace Industries, demonstrating the versatility and reliability of this missile technology. The renewed commitment between RTAF and Diehl Defence marks a further step forward in the modernization and enhancement of Thailand's air defense capabilities.