Over more than three years of conflict, one of the aspects that has most intrigued the specialist community is how the Ukrainian Armed Forces have adapted Russian/Soviet-origin air defense platforms to operate Western weaponry. The most notable case, without a doubt, is the so-called “FrankenSAM,” a short-range air defense system based on the Buk-M1 (NATO designation SA-11 Gadfly) that employs RIM-7 Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles provided by the United States. Recently, and for the first time since its existence was revealed, the Ukrainian Air Force has released the first official images of the system as part of a brief report featuring one of its operators.
Since its existence became known in the early phases of the conflict, there had been no official images of the “FrankenSAM” system that allowed for a closer look at its details. Through its social media platforms, the Ukrainian Air Force shared the first photographs as part of a short report featuring the crew chief operating the system.
Regarding its operation, the young crew explains some details about how this capability is being primarily used to counter various types of Russian missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. They also highlight the risks of operating such systems, which are priority targets for aircraft deployed on suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) missions.
However, despite the achievement of integrating Soviet/Russian technology with Western weaponry like the RIM-7, the operators point out the limitations compared to the original missiles used by the system, stating that: “… the Buk’s range has been slightly reduced, so to operate effectively, they must get closer to the front line.”
For comparison, the 9M38 missiles originally used by the Buk-M1 have a range of approximately 22 miles, while the RIM-7, designed for naval environments, has a range of 12 miles.
This situation, mentioned in the report, highlights a broader issue observed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. As the conflict shows no signs of ending and there is little hope for a ceasefire, the stock of Soviet/Russian-origin missiles cannot be replenished. This has led to initiatives like FrankenSAM, which utilize Western missiles to keep air defense systems operational.
Other initiatives also involve adapting air-to-air missiles used by MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters for use in other Soviet-origin systems. This is the case with the so-called “Hortnet” project, in which a 9K33 Osa air defense system (NATO designation SA-8 Gecko) was modified to use R-73 (AA-11 Archer) missiles—an initiative made possible through the “Povernys Zhivym” competent military aid fund. However, as noted in the report about the FrankenSAM crew, this system also has its limitations.
Returning to the newly released images, other details of potential interest can be observed. Unlike previous images that showed containerized launchers for the RIM-7, the new photographs depict missiles mounted on open-frame racks with their fins deployed. This could indicate that the system might also be capable of using the air-launched version of the missile, the AIM-7. While this remains speculative for now, it would be significant in terms of ensuring a steady supply of compatible missiles.
Finally, as has been pointed out, systems of this kind will remain in service while the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue their rapid transition toward adopting weaponry and systems supplied by European allies. In the field of air defense, Soviet-origin systems will undoubtedly be replaced by Patriot and IRIS-T systems, along with other shorter-range systems that have already been in service for months.
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