File image.
The Russian military has destroyed two of Ukraine’s so-called FrankenSAM air defense systems which were developed in cooperation with the United States.
Videos showing the destruction of both systems were posted to social networks on May 10. The first system was destroyed using Lancet loitering munitions in the Kharkiv direction, while the second was destroyed along with its loading vehicle and a missile cache in an Iskander tactical ballistic missile strike in the Zaporozhye direction.
The development of the FrankenSAM, which is based on the Soviet-era Buk-M1 medium range air defense system, began last year to make up for Ukraine’s depleted air defenses.
The makeshift system reportedly utilizes three different American-made anti-aircraft missiles, the semi-active radar-guided RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles, active radar-guided Patriot missiles and modified infrared-guided AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Not much is known about the operational range of the system and its performance.
The two systems destroyed by the Russian military in Kharkiv and Zaporozhye were both armed with RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles.
Ukraine inherited some 70 Buk-M1 systems after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Many of these systems have been already destroyed or damaged by the Russian military, which means Kiev forces will not be able to produce many FrankenSAMs.
In the last few months, the Russian military intensified suppression of enemy air defenses operations, destroying or damaging dozens of Ukraine’s remaining air defense systems, including Western-made types.
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quite pleasing shots and fireworks. keep up the good work !
what a nice marketing strategy from the us and ukraine, to show how their system can provide nice daytime fireworks at the cost many millions.
the big crispy…how i just love watching rump ukrapper nazis get sent to bandera hell. z all the way to the end of the evil anglozionazi empire of filth.
all of ukraine is a frankenstein castle.