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Ukraine Showcases DRAGON Missile Launcher That Turns Air-to-Air Rockets Into Ground Air Defense
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
Ukrainian developers presented the DRAGON ground-based missile launch system at the international Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, according to a Militarnyi report on June 15.
The system was displayed by the Center of Innovative Technologies Program at the stand of Ukraine’s state-owned defense trade enterprise SpetsTechnoExport.
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DRAGON is a ground launcher designed to use three aircraft-launched air-to-air missiles equipped with infrared homing seekers.
The system can fire several missile types, including the R-60, known by NATO as AA-8 Aphid, with an engagement range of up to 5 kilometers; the R-73, known as AA-11 Archer, with a range of 10 to 15 kilometers; and the AIM-9M Sidewinder, with a range of 8 to 10 kilometers.
Developers are also working to integrate the AIM-9X Sidewinder, the most modern short-range air-to-air missile in the Sidewinder family.
According to Militarnyi, the DRAGON launcher can be deployed within 15 minutes. It can operate in active mode for up to eight hours or remain in standby mode for up to 14 days.
The system is controlled through a remote console using either a cable communication channel or a Starlink satellite terminal.
A transport-loading trailer called BALOO has also been developed for the system.
The BALOO trailer can carry six to eight missiles at once. Its loadout can include eight AIM-9 missiles, or four AIM-9 missiles and two R-73 missiles. It also carries 240 liters of nitrogen.
The nitrogen is used primarily to cool the infrared homing seekers of the missiles, allowing them to operate effectively before launch, Militarnyi noted.
Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine and France were deepening their military cooperation to bolster Kyiv’s air defense capabilities throughout this year. In particular, central to the talks was the procurement of Aster-30 missiles, which remain a primary priority for Ukraine’s defense needs.
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