Ukraine tests Vilkha-M Short-Range Missile

Ukraine’s Luch Design Bureau conducted another test of Vilkha-M missile which has a range of 120km at Odesa on March 30-31.

"Even in the conditions of quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing implementation of the Ukrainian missile program with the active participation of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and the General Staff of the Armed Forces continues in the sphere of security and defense," National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine said in a statement Wednesday.

The Vilkha-M missile employs a GPS-free guidance system to avoid the risk of signal loss due to satellite-navigation jamming or deceiving attacks.

"This missile is created by the companies of the defense industry in a closed production cycle. The rocket launcher system with the Vilkha-M missiles will become a powerful weapon of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the release said.

The Vilkha multiple launch rocket system (MLRS) is a clone of the Smerch MLRS from the Soviet era. Development the Vilkha multiple-launch rocket system RS began in January 2016 and it was completed in May 2018. 

The MoD plans to purchase about 3,000 missile systems and missiles worth 2 billion hryvnia ($72 million).