U.K. Testing All New Air Defense System in Ukraine

The U.K. is testing the Gravehawk, a new air defense system in Ukraine, designed to fit the size of a shipping container and use existing surface-to-air missiles.

The project is jointly funded by the U.K. and Denmark.

The Gravehawk is capable of retrofitting air-to-air missiles for ground-based defense, meaning it can integrate Ukrainian missiles already available in the Armed Forces' arsenal. This capability is expected to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to defend its cities, troops, and critical infrastructure amid continued Russian bombardments.

Two prototypes of the Gravehawk system were tested in Ukraine in September, and an additional 15 units are expected this year.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, visiting Kyiv on January 16, announced further military aid to Ukraine, including weaponry and financial support totaling £4.5 billion (€5.34 billion).

Public information about the Gravehawk air defense system was unavailable until recently. In August 2023, British media reported that Ukraine had received new air defense systems using AIM-132 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles mounted on SupaCat truck chassis. In October, the Ukrainian Air Force released a video of an unnamed system operating these missiles, but it was unclear due to the night-time filming. A clearer video in February 2024 confirmed the system’s operation on a SupaCat chassis, suggesting it could be the Gravehawk. The system could integrate Ukrainian missiles, such as the R-73, which is used in the Osa air defense system and on Magura V5 drones. The AIM-132 ASRAAM’s infrared homing seeker would direct the missile, with a likely launch range of 10-15 km from the ground.

In related developments, France and Norway confirmed their commitments to supply jet fighters to Ukraine. Norway will deliver six F-16s, while France plans to send Mirage 2000-5s in the first quarter of 2025.