Sensor specialist HENSOLDT has been awarded contracts worth over €100 million from Diehl Defence to supply additional TRML-4D high-performance radars to European nations. The order is a key component of the German-led European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), with the radars to be integrated into Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T SLM air defence systems across participating countries. The deal includes a comprehensive maintenance and training package.
The order underscores the urgent drive to bolster continental air defences. “There is enormous pent-up demand in European air defence,” said Markus Rothmaier, Head of Naval & Ground Radars at HENSOLDT. “The threats posed by air attacks are more complex and varied than they were a few years ago.” He highlighted the role of digital innovation, noting that “software-defined defence” is enabling faster upgrades and the integration of existing systems, thereby shortening development cycles and enhancing the performance of products like the TRML-4D.
This radar has proven its exceptional capabilities in real-world conditions, including operational use in Ukraine. Utilizing cutting-edge Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology, the TRML-4D can simultaneously detect and track approximately 1,500 aerial targets within a 250-kilometer radius. It is designed to quickly identify and classify a full spectrum of threats, from low-observable cruise missiles and artillery rockets to drones and manned aircraft, providing critical data for engagement.
HENSOLDT brings decades of expertise in air defence radar systems to the ESSI program. Beyond the TRML-4D, its portfolio includes the Spexer short-range radar, the passive surveillance system Twinvis, and radars for naval and air traffic security. The company is now a central technology provider for the initiative, with cumulative contracts for over 150 radars of various types under the ESSI framework. This latest order significantly expands the deployment of its most advanced ground-based air surveillance sensor, strengthening a coordinated European shield against evolving aerial threats.
