Lethal Humvee SUV with Air-to-Air Missiles, EW Systems Being Built in Ukraine

Ukraine has developed a mobile air defense system based on the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or the ‘Humvee’) SUV, integrating air-to-air missiles and electronic warfare (EW) systems.

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade has released images of the system, which has been heavily modified. Only the original HMMWV platform remains, with a new cabin, a missile launcher, and an EW system mounted on the roof to counter FPV drones. The system is armed with P-73 air-to-air guided missiles, designed for a "fire and forget" engagement method that allows for immediate repositioning after launch.

"Old iron is not a sentence. We have rethought the platform and left the main thing – maneuverability and mobility," the brigade stated. "The air-to-air missile is now land-based: fire and forget – the missile attacks the target, the air defense changes position, and our fighters are covered."

The P-73 missile, originally designed for fighter jets, offers engagement ranges from 20 to 40 km in the forward hemisphere, while in the rear, it can strike targets up to 300 meters away. This adaptation provides Ukrainian forces with a mobile and flexible air defense asset.

Ukraine also operates AN/TWQ-1 Avenger air defense systems mounted on HMMWVs. These systems, equipped with FIM-92 Stinger missiles, recently helped repel a large-scale drone attack on the Kyiv region. The Avengers can engage aerial threats at altitudes up to 3.8 km and ranges up to 5.5 km.

The combination of modernized HMMWV-based air defense systems and existing Avenger units enhances Ukraine’s ability to counter aerial threats, particularly in highly mobile battlefield environments.