Ukraine Quietly Expands Its Arsenal—A Swedish RBS-15 Reportedly Appears on Video

Ukraine’s Navy has, for the first time, likely demonstrated the combat use of Swedish-made RBS-15 anti-ship missiles during a strike on the “Sivash” drilling platform, according to Militarnyi on April 6.

The launcher system seen in the footage was identified by the Telegram channel “Vodogray.” Although the video quality makes precise identification difficult, several distinctive features point to the RBS-15 system.

These include the shape of the launch containers, the configuration of the vehicle cabin, and the layout of the equipment compartment.

Another key indicator is the presence of two engines mounted on either side of the missile’s fuselage—an identifying characteristic of the Swedish-designed RBS-15.

While the footage was released in connection with the strike on the “Sivash” platform, reportedly used by Russian forces, the video itself appears to have been recorded earlier. A visible timestamp shows March 12, 2026, suggesting it may depict a separate engagement.

Reports about the transfer of Swedish anti-ship missiles to Ukraine first surfaced in 2022. Until now, only the lighter RBS-17 system had been publicly confirmed in Ukrainian service.

The RBS-15 is a family of anti-ship cruise missiles developed by Saab, designed primarily to engage surface vessels but also capable of striking land targets under certain conditions. The system was originally developed in the late 1970s to provide Sweden with a long-range maritime strike capability capable of operating in contested environments.

Modern variants, including the RBS-15 Mk3 and Mk4, are equipped with inertial navigation systems supported by GPS updates and use an active radar seeker during the terminal phase of flight. Depending on the version, the missile’s range exceeds 100 kilometers.

A defining feature of the RBS-15 is its sea-skimming flight profile, which allows it to fly at very low altitudes over water, significantly reducing detection and interception chances.

The missile can be launched from multiple platforms, including ships, coastal defense systems, and aircraft such as the JAS 39 Gripen.

Ukraine is most likely operating an earlier version of the missile, potentially the RBS-15 Mk2, which has a range of up to 70 kilometers.

If confirmed, the use of the RBS-15 would mark a notable expansion of Ukraine’s maritime strike capabilities, particularly in contested areas where Russian forces rely on both naval assets and offshore infrastructure.

Earlier, Sweden was preparing one of its largest military aid packages for Ukraine and was holding talks on the possible transfer of Meteor air-to-air missiles.

Meteor is widely regarded as the longest-range operational air-to-air missile in Europe and across NATO. Developed by MBDA, the missile is powered by a solid-fuel ramjet, allowing it to maintain high speed—above Mach 4—throughout its flight and retain lethal energy at long distances.

With an estimated range exceeding 200 kilometers, Meteor offers a much larger “no-escape zone” than conventional air-to-air missiles, enabling it to threaten highly maneuverable aircraft, cruise missiles, and UAVs even in heavy electronic warfare environments.

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