Airbus Defence and Space has linked Germany’s IRIS-T SLM and Sweden’s Patriot air-defence systems through Germany’s Surface-to-Air Missile Operations Center during NATO’s SPARTAN ARROW 26 exercise in Crete. The network enabled the two national forces to coordinate responses in real time against simulated drones and cruise missiles, while live-fire activity supported NATO certification and interoperability objectives.
The exercise included Germany’s first live firing of IRIS-T SLM by an entirely German crew, as well as Sweden’s first autonomous live-fire Patriot exercise. Airbus described both activities as successful, although the available reporting does not detail the missiles used, engagement results or the precise certification authority.
Germany’s LeFlaSys short-range system was also connected to the architecture, creating a layered arrangement covering short-, medium- and long-range air defence. The integration allowed the systems to operate through a common command structure rather than solely through separate national networks.
Data collected in Crete on bandwidth, reaction times and resilience against interference will support further development of NATO’s networked command-and-control capabilities. The results were presented by Airbus, and detailed information on the communications interface was not disclosed.