As part of a new £4.5 billion military assistance package, the United Kingdom has announced that it will equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces with 15 new Gravehawk systems, co-financed by the UK and Denmark. Specifically, this system, of which two prototypes have been tested in combat since September, will strengthen the country’s air defense network.

Regarding the delivery of the new aid package, British Defense Secretary John Healey stated: “We are stepping up the UK’s support for Ukraine throughout 2025. Our plan will enhance Ukraine’s military capability, expand our training offer, strengthen defense industrial ties, and increase pressure on Putin (…) This new support package will help strengthen Ukraine’s position on the battlefield or at any negotiating table.”

Delving into the details of the new Gravehawk defense system, it is worth noting that it is not a new development per se but a compilation of various technological solutions enabling the launch of air-to-air missiles from ground batteries, which are sized to fit within a shipping container. In this way, part of the arsenal of Ukraine’s limited Air Force could join the air defense effort more quickly—a crucial detail considering that Ukrainian territory produced some of these alternatives in large quantities, such as the R-27 and R-73 models (operable from Osa systems) from the Soviet era.

In this regard, it is also worth mentioning that Ukraine had previously explored alternatives to adapt such missiles for use with ground-based launchers. According to local Ukrainian media, in 2017, the head of the Ukroboronprom company, Roman Romanov, proposed working on this issue with a partnership between the Artem company, located in Kyiv, and the Polish company WB Electronics. Significant advances were made from then on, including a new group of seeker sensors and engine modifications.

It is also useful to note that the use of R-27 missiles launched from ground platforms has already been observed in the Middle East, demonstrating that it is a technically feasible and operationally valuable solution. For instance, in 2018, the Saudi Air Force lost an F-15 aircraft over Yemen due to the launch of an R-27T missile, referred to as an “ersatz SAM.” Another illustrative case occurred in India, which in 2022 unveiled its new Samar-2 air defense system, based on the design lineage of the aforementioned R-27T.

Nevertheless, it should also be remembered that the use of the new Gravehawk systems with such Ukrainian-made missiles would not be without challenges. The main doubts arise regarding the age of the stored R-27s and their potential impact on the performance they should deliver today, as some may have been manufactured more than three decades ago. To date, their use in Ukraine has been observed in various deployments of the country’s Air Force aircraft, mainly through its Su-27s.

Images used for illustrative purposes.

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