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They Laughed at This Little Farm Plane—Until Ukraine Gave It R-73 Missiles
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
A Polish-built agricultural aircraft fitted with Soviet-designed air-to-air missiles has been spotted in service with the Ukrainian Air Force, according to the Polkovnik GSH Telegram channel, which is linked to Ukraine’s armed forces, on August 8.
The interceptor is a Zlin Z-137T Agro Turbo, a light propeller-driven crop-dusting plane, modified to carry R-73 “Archer” short-range infrared-guided missiles—a weapon normally used by high-performance fighter jets for close-range dogfights.
🇺🇦 A Ukrainian agricultural aircraft, the Moravan Z-137 Agro Turbo, equipped with R-73 infrared short-range air-to-air missiles and intended for hunting Shahed-type kamikaze drones, is flying in one of the directions.
— USSTRIKE (@USSTRIKE0) August 8, 2025
For war footage, follow @USSTRIKE0 pic.twitter.com/S8LWRX9TY7
Under its wings, engineers have mounted two AKU-73 pylons, enabling the civilian turboprop to fire the highly maneuverable R-73.
This setup allows the crop-duster to be guided toward enemy drones by ground-based air defense controllers, who can relay radar data and adjust its heading and altitude mid-mission. The aircraft’s likely targets: Russian Geran-2 (Shahed) suicide drones and tactical reconnaissance UAVs.
The R-73, classified by the US and NATO as the AA-11 Archer, was developed in the Soviet Union for highly maneuverable aerial combat, with capabilities such as all-aspect targeting, “fire-and-forget” guidance, and the ability to launch during aggressive aerial maneuvers.
Depending on the variant, the missile can engage targets at ranges of 20 to 40 kilometers and altitudes up to 20 kilometers, tracking aircraft moving as fast as 2,500 km/h.
The adaptation is believed to be aimed at downing Russian Geran attack drones, which have been used extensively to target Ukrainian infrastructure.
While the Zlin Z-137T Agro Turbo is far from a fighter jet—with a top speed of just 210 km/h (130 mph)—its low operating cost, short takeoff and landing ability, and ease of modification make it a practical platform for patrols against slow-moving drones.
The aircraft, originally designed for crop dusting, is powered by a Walter M601Z turboprop engine and can carry up to 600 kilograms (1,300 pounds) of payload.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, has previously confirmed the use of light aircraft in counter-drone operations:
“One of the promising areas for countering Shaheds is the use of light aircraft. We have them, and there are new projects with the help of financial and material assistance from our foreign partners. This area will be developed. We are receiving modern light aircraft with modern weapons and navigation systems, which will increase the effectiveness of countering Russian strike drones.”
Earlier, Ukraine’s defense industry unveiled a new mobile surface-to-air missile system based on the American HMMWV platform, marking another step in the country’s ongoing effort to expand and modernize its air defense capabilities.
The vehicle is equipped with Soviet-designed R-73 short-range, air-to-air guided missiles, repurposed for ground-based launch.
