Ukraine has revealed its latest FrankenSAM creation – a new surface-to-air missile system that repurposes Soviet-era R-73 heat-seeking air-to-air missiles as ground-based interceptors. The system, whose official name has not yet been disclosed, features a compact, turret-like launcher with rails for a pair of R-73 missiles.
The emergence of this system underscores Ukraine’s ongoing need for additional air defense capabilities as Western allies have provided only modest numbers of advanced systems. Repurposing the R-73 missile appears to be a practical stopgap measure while Ukraine seeks more comprehensive air defense solutions.
According to Ukrainian Militarnyi, the system is “based on a classified platform.” While the exact mobility capabilities aren’t confirmed, its location in a field suggests it’s either self-propelled on a wheeled or tracked chassis or mounted on a towed trailer. The War Zone notes that some aspects of the published photo may have been manipulated to conceal parts of the system.
The system is currently in use with the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of Air Defense and Missile Defense, and there are indications that it may have been developed within that unit.
“Despite the advanced age of the equipment and its limited tactical and technical characteristics, we find opportunities for modernization and implementation of the latest approaches,” Brigade Commander Maksym Zaichenko told Militarnyi.
He emphasized that the R-73’s infrared “fire and forget” guidance allows the firing unit to “change its position after firing, so as not to expose itself to a retaliatory strike,” suggesting the system has good mobility.
The launch rails appear to be the same APU-73 adapters that typically interface the R-73 and aircraft pylons. An array of mushroom-shaped fairings atop the new system is intriguing – The War Zone suggests these could potentially be related to some kind of passive radio-frequency detection system.
Engineers build FrankenSAM platforms for mobile, multi-target defense
This new development joins other Ukrainian air defense innovations utilizing the R-73 missile, including:
- The containerized Gravehawk surface-to-air missile system developed by the United Kingdom and Denmark
- Modified 9K33 Osa (SA-8 Gecko) wheeled air defense vehicles equipped with R-73 missiles instead of their usual 9M33 interceptors
- Sea Dragon uncrewed surface vessels armed with R-73s.
The R-73 missile, known to NATO as the AA-11 Archer, typically equips Ukraine’s Su-27 and MiG-29 fighter fleets. When used in its original air-launched configuration, it has a maximum range of 18.6 miles against head-on targets and 8.7 miles against tail-on targets. However, ground-launched applications would have reduced range.
A key advantage of the R-73 is its high-off-boresight (HOBS) seeker, which can articulate much farther in any direction than traditional heat-seeking missiles with fixed forward-facing seekers. The War Zone notes that this capability gives “the R-73 the potential to be a particularly potent, albeit improvised threat for locking onto and engaging dynamic targets with minimal assisting sensors when used in a surface-launched form.”
The system likely employs passive infrared sensors for targeting, making it less vulnerable to Russian electronic warfare systems detection than radar-dependent air defense systems.
While the missile rails seen in the published photo are specifically for R-73s, The War Zone suggests the new systems could be adapted to fire other missiles, such as the British ASRAAM or US-made AIM-9 Sidewinders, which Ukraine has also received.
The new system is likely particularly relevant for countering Russian long-range kamikaze drones and cruise missile threats. It could also be used to defend critical infrastructure. The missile’s capabilities also make it suitable for engaging fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
Read more:
- Forbes: Ukraine’s canary-yellow vintage Yak-52 is hunting Russian drones like it’s World War I again
- Ukraine’s FrankenBuk air defense system combines Soviet Buk-M1 with Western Sea Sparrow missiles
- UK engineers turn Soviet R-73 missiles into Ukraine’s new Gravehawk air defense
- Ukraine pairs obsolete Soviet grenades with commercial drones adding 3D-printed fins, as Pentagon takes notes
