What anti-aircraft weapons does the Armed Forces of Ukraine have? Today we will talk about
weapons that help defend our skies and destroy aircraft, missiles, and UAVs of Russian orcs.
Since the beginning of the Russian aggression, there has been an extremely fierce struggle
for control over the airspace of our country. Ukrainian pilots have shown themselves very well
in air battles, but the support of various ground equipment and anti-aircraft weapons
is a great help in the fight against enemy aircraft and helicopters.
We constantly hear requests to close the Ukrainian sky from everywhere.
Yes, the enemy is ruthlessly destroying our peaceful cities, firing rockets,
and striking with planes and helicopters. But the Ukrainian army has been fiercely countering
the Russian aggression for more than a month. Our air forces play an extremely
important role in military action and maintain good control over key areas of the country.
So let’s talk more about these weapons,
and try to dispel some myths and speculations. So, let’s get started.
FIM-92 ‘Stinger’ MPADS
Let’s start with the famous FIM-92 Stinger. These American-made weapons are one of the
most widespread air defense systems, which became widely known during the conflict in Afghanistan.
But it also proved itself well during the fighting in Ukraine. This MPADS uses infrared
surface-to-air missiles and a ‘friend-or-foe’ identification system. FIM-92 Stinger has an
aiming range of up to 4.8 km and can shoot down air targets at an altitude of up to 3.8 km.
Our military received a number of these launchers from Lithuania and Latvia. And even the news that
the FIM-92 Stinger is in the service of our air defense forces is already a horror for the orcs.
‘Starstreak’ MPADS
Friends from the UK have also decided to help us fight enemy helicopters and attack
aircraft by providing a powerful Starstreak portable anti-aircraft missile system.
This powerful weapon proved to be very successful in combat conditions from day one – with the help
of Starstreak MPADS, our military neutralized an enemy Mi-28 helicopter in the Luhansk region.
This means that the enemy will also be afraid to fly over our territory.
Starstreak is MPADS manufactured by Thales Air Defense from Belfast. The
British system provided to our military has a unique missile velocity that exceeds Mach
4.2. This makes them the fastest short-range surface-to-air missiles.
For comparison, the speed of the popular Stinger reaches a maximum of Mach 2.2, as you can see,
the difference is huge. Of course, this is important in the context of the potential
response of target defense systems. The time to employ countermeasures,
in this case, is much shorter, which makes Starstreak an extremely effective weapon.
‘Piorun’ MPADS
Our Polish brothers are also helping us to destroy enemy air targets. Their Piorun
anti-aircraft missile system is an upgraded version of the GROM complex, which showed its
capabilities during the Georgian-Russian conflict when nine Russian aircraft were destroyed. Piorun
is designed to combat helicopters, aircraft, and small targets, such as unmanned aerial vehicles,
at altitudes from 10 m to about 4 km and at a distance of 500 m to more than 6 km.
Compared to GROM-1 MPADS, this state-of-the-art weapon has a longer range
and better resistance to interference and is also adapted for nighttime warfare.
Piorun MPADS has received an improved sight, doubling the ability to detect the target.
Upgraded warheads are automatically aimed at a source of thermal radiation,
the engine of a helicopter or aircraft that emits heat. It is almost impossible to escape from this
missile system. Polish weapons accurately strike the enemy in the Ukrainian sky.
‘Strela-2’ MPADS
Strela-2 was the first generation of Soviet MPADS. This model was a clone of the American FIM-43
Red Eye system. The Strela-2 shoulder launcher had nothing to do with the previous Strela-1.
Strela-2 was officially adopted in 1968. Its western name is SA-7 or the Grail.
This man-portable air defense system (MPADS) was designed to destroy aircraft and helicopters.
However, this outdated system cannot be used against modern drones. The ready-to-use system
weighs about 15 kg, its maximum range is 4.2 km, and in-flight the rocket reaches a speed
of 500 m/s. If the missile does not hit the target, in 14-17 seconds it self-destructs.
9K38 ‘Igla’ MPADS
9K38 Igla is a portable launcher anti-aircraft missile system,
which is able to hit air targets directly from the shoulder.
This MPADS was developed in the Soviet Union but is still used by the Ukrainian army.
It replaced the older version – Strela-3 and has a better range and sensitivity of the seeker.
The system uses a surface-to-air missile.
The 9K38 Igla MPADS is designed to fire 72-millimeter infrared-guided missiles
equipped with high-explosive warheads only, effective against helicopters and low-flying
aircraft, and has an effective target range of 3100 to 5200 m.
ZU-23-2 23mm anti-aircraft autocannon
Let’s start with a rather interesting 23-mm anti-aircraft autocannon,
ZU-23-2, which our air defense fighters have.
Ukraine has more than a thousand towed ZU-23-2 23-mm anti-aircraft autocannons. The weapon can
be brought to the firing position in just 30 seconds, it is completely manually operated,
and if necessary, can be used against infantry and light armored vehicles.
The effective range of this weapon is 2.5 km with a real rate of fire of 400 shots per minute.
Anti-aircraft cannon has mechanical sight and guidance drives. This severely limits the ability
to conduct anti-aircraft fire but makes weapons as cheap and comprehensive as possible for fighters
with low levels of training. There is also no standard anti-aircraft fire control device
that issues data for firing at air targets. Therefore, it is possible to conduct only
obstructive non-target fire on all types of air targets (except suspended helicopters).
ZSU-23-4 ‘Shilka’ lightly armored AA weapon system
‘Shilka’ is a lightly armored self-propelled anti-aircraft system with four paired 23-mm guns.
This anti-aircraft system can conduct extremely efficient and accurate fire on enemy helicopters
or aircraft in almost any weather condition and in poor visibility.
Interestingly, every barrel can fire different types of ammunition with a rate of fire of up to
a thousand shots per minute, or four thousand per minute when firing from all four guns.
ZSU-23-4 ‘Shilka’ is an anti-aircraft self-propelled unit designed for direct
air defense of ground forces, destruction of air targets flying at speeds up to 450 m/s,
at a distance of up to 2500 meters and altitudes up to 1500 meters, as well as ground targets at a
distance of up to 2000 meters from a stationary position, from a short stop and in motion.
S-300V surface-to-air missile system
Let’s move on to more interesting anti-aircraft missile systems.
Among them, many of you have heard of SAM S-300V.
This is a long-range anti-aircraft system designed to combat aircraft and cruise missiles.
This is a fully automated system (although it can be controlled manually), which when selecting
targets connects to the command center, located at a distance of up to 40 km from the launcher.
According to experts, this is one of the best air defense systems currently in service.
Western partners also understand this well, so they are trying to transfer these SAMs to Ukraine.
They are available in some countries that were members of the Warsaw Pact and received them
from the USSR. These include the Baltic States, Poland, Slovakia,
Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Romania.
These systems can be easily adapted to work in Ukraine, do not require additional training of
personnel to master them, and, most importantly, they have a huge stockpile of ammunition.
S-300V SAM was developed as a high-level air defense system that provides protection
against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and aircraft. The main role of the S-300V is
to protect operational groups and vital industrial and military facilities from massive air attacks.
9К37 ‘Buk-M1’ SAM system
This air defense system can destroy maneuverable aircraft and helicopters
flying at low or high altitudes when the enemy uses electronic countermeasures.
New versions of Buk can also hit ballistic missiles, cruise missiles,
anti-radiation missiles, smart bombs, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Buk launches 9M38 missiles. It is a single-stage solid-fuel missile. The projectile resembles US
Tartarus and Standard air defense missiles. The missile has semi-active radar guidance.
It can hit targets at a range of 3.4 to 20.5 km at an altitude of over 3 km. The firing
range is reduced to 5-15.4 km if the target flies at an altitude of 30 m above the ground.
The maximum engaging altitude is 25 km. The missile 9M38 has a hit probability of 70-93%.
Buk can also launch older 9M9M3 missiles from the Kub-M3 SAM system.
9K33 ‘Osa’ mobile short-range SAM
Osa is a highly mobile short-range missile system,
with both the launcher itself and the radar that detects and tracks enemy targets on one vehicle.
Osa was the first serial mobile air defense missile system with radar
and missiles on a single vehicle. For the first time, a single vehicle could detect,
track and hit aircraft. This system is used against planes and helicopters in any weather.
The initial serial version had four missiles with a maximum range of 10 km and a maximum
altitude of 5 km. A later production version of the Osa-AK carried six missiles in containers.
The maximum range has been increased to 12 km. Missiles have contact and non-contact fuses. The
probability of destruction of the target by the early system is 35-85%, depending on the height.
Later serial models have a 55-85% chance of hitting the target. Osa cannot launch
missiles on the move. They are launched from a stationary position or during short stops.
‘Tor’ short-range SAM system
Tor is an all-weather short-range missile system for engaging targets at low and medium altitudes.
This system is capable of hitting all kinds of modern air targets.
It is used against aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, various types of missiles, and high-precision
guided munitions. Thor can also detect and intercept anti-radiation missiles.
It basically destroys targets that long- and medium-range air defense systems cannot hit.
The Tor combat vehicle has radar and missiles based on a single vehicle. The TELAR machine
carries 8 missiles. Missiles are launched vertically. The same method of launch is used on
the S-300 long-range anti-aircraft missile system, although Thor missiles have a fairly short range.
9K35 ‘Strela-10’ short range SAM system
9K35 Strela-10 is a self-propelled anti-aircraft missile system with an operating range of 5
km and a maximum speed of 65 km/h on the road and 6 km/h on the water. The Strela-10 has an
optical and infrared sight and is mainly used to combat low-altitude targets, such as helicopters.
There are 150 units of this type of weapon in Ukraine.
The anti-aircraft missile system is quite successful in shooting down enemy air targets.
Strela-10 can hit enemy planes and helicopters at a range of up to 5 km
and an altitude of up to 3.5 km. The probability of hitting fighters with one missile is 10-50%.
The response time of the system is about 6.5 seconds.
2K22 ‘Tunguska’ self-propelled AA system
This air defense system is used by motorized infantry and mechanized formations. Its main
role is to counter the threat posed by Russian attack helicopters and attack aircraft.
2K22 “Tunguska” is equipped with paired 9M311 missiles and 30-mm autocannons.
They have a semi-active radar guidance system and a fragmentation warhead.
There is a laser non-contact fuse that triggers the warhead when the missile
approaches the target. These missiles can hit targets moving at speeds up to 500 m/s.
The maximum height is only 3.5 km, and the maximum range is 8
km. 9M311 missiles are effective against low-flying aircraft and helicopters. They have
a 65% chance of hitting, while the autocannon’s hit probability is 80%. Similar 9M311K missiles
are used by the ‘Kashtan’ Navy SAM. 9M311-1 is an upgraded export version of the missile.
Tunguska is capable of firing autocannons on the move, but it must be stationary to fire missiles.