FrankenSAMs getting to Ukraine
Quite a little cottage industry now, repackaging existing missiles as Surface to Air Missiles (SAMs) to make them more portable and/or more available to Ukraine. The battlefield is a lot different now – the airspace is an “if it flies, it dies” zone occupied by multiple drones and counterdrone equipment.
We now have our first look at the containerized Gravehawk surface-to-air missile system, which uses repurposed Soviet-era heat-seeking R-73 air-to-air missiles as interceptors, that the United Kingdom and Denmark have developed for Ukraine.
The entire SAM system fits in a standard shipping container, carries a pair of converted R-73 AAMs, and can be quickly deployed off the back of a flatbed.
Contrast that with a traditional system, one or more radars, multiple different launchers – this is a self-contained units whose entirety fits onto a truck. The launch control unit looks like it fits in an American Tourister. Not as high-altitude capable as some of the systems our guys faced in Vietnam, perhaps (built as an airborne heat-seaker similar to our Sidewinder, the R-73, aka AA-11 ‘Archer’s max range is less than 20 miles) but exceedingly plentiful in former-bloc NATO inventories. Heck, Ukraine uses them today on its fighters. Available…and cheap.
It took a U.K. Ministry of Defense element called Taskforce Kindred and an unspecified group of private contractors approximately 18 months and six million pounds (almost $7.5 million based on the rate of conversion at the time of writing) to develop Gravehawk, according to Forces News. The unit cost is around one million pounds ($1.24 million).
Now, as a ground-launched system it would not be piggybacking on the aircraft’s speed and range so estimates of its range drop down to less than 10 miles – but it’s infra-red sensors can detect targets up to 40 degrees off the missile’s track. Couple it with a helmet-mounted sight, that goes up to 70 degrees. Look straight ahead, hold out your arms at about 45 degrees to your line of sight – anything in that zone.
There is also a clear relationship between Gravehawk and another FrankenSAM the United Kingdom previously supplied to Ukraine that uses the AIM-132 Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) as its interceptor and that was mounted on a 6×6 Supacat High Mobility Transporter (HMT). Both systems notably appear to use similar, if not identical sensor systems.
The Supacat system has an identifiable launcher to target. The Gravehawk, unless operating, looks like a shipping container. Plus, it’s IR sensors are passive in nature so counter-battery systems have a harder time without active radar to target.
Interestingly, “the Ukrainians initially didn’t want Gravehawk, instead they wanted more air-to-air missiles and F-16 Fighting Falcons,” according to Forces News. “But having seen it in action they are now apparently sold on it – and want lots more.” The War Zone
Who knows, maybe in future we will see Gravehawk use ASRAAMs and Sidewinders.
Interesting, the Ukraine doesn’t pay for any of it either way.
“Interestingly, “the Ukrainians initially didn’t want Gravehawk, instead they wanted more air-to-air missiles and F-16 Fighting Falcons,” according to Forces News. “But having seen it in action they are now apparently sold on it – and want lots more.”
So where’d the UK get the missiles from? Old East German Luftwaffe stocks?
Tell me you are a broke country without telling me…
“We now have our first look at the containerized Gravehawk surface-to-air missile system, which uses repurposed Soviet-era heat-seeking R-73 air-to-air missiles as interceptors…”
Ukraine gets any more broke and they won’t even be able to afford rocks, they’ll have to take their laundry to the stream and beat it against their heads!
Sling shots and spears? Oops…can’t afford rocks, so the slingshot is out. Guess they can use all of the scrap metal laying around to make spear points so there is that. Zman gots to do his war on the cheap now that the sugar teat is drying out. “Bring any and every weapon to bear…” until there aren’t any weapons left. Gotta wonder how many bodies ZMan has left to send into the meat grinder.
Wonder if we are still paying their pensions and sending them to Paris fashion week ? Meanwhile we keep getting told our SS system is going broke and will run out. But hey, we funded DEI all over the world and The EPA can hide billions all over the place.
He could afford all those cool properties like he bought his parents– some of that has to the war effort now.