Ukraine Revives Osa Air Defense Systems With New Domestically Made RK-19 Missile

Ukraine has developed a new domestically produced surface-to-air missile designed to replace Soviet 9M33-series interceptors used by the Osa-AKM short-range air defense system.

According to Militarnyi on September 8, the RK-19 missile was displayed at Ukraine’s defense industry stand during the MSPO defense exhibition in Poland, where its intended role and key technical specifications were disclosed publicly.

The RK-19 can engage aerial targets at ranges of up to 10 kilometers and altitudes of up to 5 kilometers. Its maximum flight speed is listed at 600 meters per second, exceeding the roughly 500-meter-per-second maximum speed of the Soviet 9M33M3 missile it is intended to replace.

Like the original Osa ammunition, the Ukrainian missile uses radio-command guidance. The RK-19 carries a 14.3-kilogram warhead, while the missile and its launch container have a combined weight of 163 kilograms. The container measures 3,255 mm in length, 320 mm in width, and 303 mm in height.

The missile was first shown publicly in April 2026 during a video address by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marking Ukraine’s Gunsmith Day. At the time, its specific launch platform had not been officially detailed.

The latest presentation confirms that the RK-19 was developed as a replacement for the Soviet-made 9M33 family used by the Osa-AKM, potentially allowing Ukraine to keep the existing air defense systems operational without relying on dwindling stocks of Soviet missiles.

The Osa-AKM is a mobile, short-range surface-to-air missile system designed to protect troops and infrastructure from aircraft and cruise missiles. Each combat vehicle carries six 9M33M3 missiles and can engage targets at ranges of up to 10 kilometers and altitudes of up to 5 kilometers.

Ukraine has operated Osa systems extensively during Russia’s full-scale invasion, including against Russian drones and cruise missiles. However, stocks of compatible Soviet-produced interceptors have declined during the war, limiting the intensity with which the systems can be employed.

Earlier, Ukraine unveiled the launcher for its domestically developed Koral surface-to-air missile, a significantly redesigned interceptor intended to engage both conventional aerial threats and ballistic targets. The latest version weighs about 450 kilograms, carries a 36-kilogram warhead, and uses inertial navigation, radio-command correction, and an active radar seeker.

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