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Ukraine Unveils Powerful New HMMWV-Based Air Defense System, Photos
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine’s defense industry has 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.
According to the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces on March 28, the upgraded vehicle retains only the chassis of the original HMMWV. The platform has been refitted with a new cabin, a missile launch system, and electronic warfare (EW) modules designed to counter FPV drones.
The vehicle is equipped with Soviet-designed R-73 short-range, air-to-air guided missiles, repurposed for ground-based launch.
The newly adapted missile system employs the “fire-and-forget” principle, enabling immediate repositioning after launch. This operational advantage reduces exposure to potential retaliatory strikes.
Depending on the version, the R-73 can engage targets in the forward hemisphere at distances ranging from 20 to 40 kilometers, with limited rear-hemisphere tracking capabilities up to 300 meters.
The 3rd Assault Brigade, which received the new system, noted that the primary objective of the design was to preserve mobility and flexibility while enhancing firepower. The adaptation of the R-73 missile allows Ukrainian forces to deliver rapid air defense responses in dynamic combat conditions.
This domestically modified system joins the ranks of other HMMWV-based air defense platforms used by Ukraine, including the US-supplied AN/TWQ-1 Avenger. The Avenger system employs FIM-92 Stinger missiles, which have been widely provided by Western partners.
Each Avenger unit is equipped with eight missiles and a 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, capable of engaging targets at altitudes up to 3.8 kilometers and distances up to 5.5 kilometers.
In parallel to this domestic innovation, Ukraine continues to expand cooperation with international defense partners. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently confirmed ongoing talks regarding the localization of European air defense production and related missile manufacturing.
Since 2023, Ukraine has been producing FrankenSAM systems that integrate Soviet-era Buk-M1 launchers with American RIM-7 missiles. Between 2024 and 2025, joint production projects were initiated with Italy to manufacture modern short- and medium-range air defense systems.
These include CAMM and CAMM-ER missiles, compatible with both MAADS and upgraded SAMP/T NG launchers. The cooperation involves Italian branches of MBDA and Leonardo.
Earlier in February, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces Vadym Sukharevskyi announced that Ukraine’s mobile fire groups would soon be equipped with laser weapons to counter Russian Shahed drones.
The system, which has already passed initial tests, is designed to burn through aircraft metal and target aerial threats at altitudes over two kilometers. President Zelenskyy also confirmed progress in developing domestic counter-drone technologies, emphasizing their strategic importance.
