Rare Footage of British AIM-132 ASRAAM Launcher Deployed in Ukraine Emerges
And this is indeed a rare video because it was first showcased in a video released by the Air Force Commandof the Armed Forces of Ukraine in October 2023, during nighttime operations against the Shahed kamikaze drones used by the russian occupation forces.
Let’s remind—back in August 2023, Western media reported that the United Kingdom reinforced Ukraine’s air defense with guided AIM-132 ASRAAM air-to-air missiles.
Read more: Ukraine’s Air Force Showed the Operation of British Supacat-ASRAAM FrankenSAM For the First Time (Video)
#Ukraine: More of the fruits of British Assistance to the Ukrainian Army- MBDA ASRAAM IR anti-aircraft missiles mounted on a Supacat HMT truck to provide a mobile air-defense platform. When fired from aircraft, the ASRAAM can hit targets more than 25km away. pic.twitter.com/nW1r96Aau3— Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) August 4, 2023
The main tactical and technical characteristics of the AIM-132 ASRAAM missile are as follows:
However, in the ground-launched variant, the AIM-132 ASRAAM missile will likely have a shorter range, possibly up to 10 km. Therefore, these systems can effectively replace the Soviet-era SAM systems like the Osa in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is also worth noting that the missile is equipped with an infrared homing head, allowing this British SAM system to operate in a “silent” mode without activating the radar station. The AIM-132 ASRAAM missile is an air-to-air missile, but it can be used as an anti-aircraft missile due to the sufficiently high energy of the engines.
Read more: The UK Strengthened Ukraine’s Air Defense with Unannounced Ground Launched AIM-132 ASRAAM Missiles