The London Government has announced the decision to boost Ukraine’s terrestrial air defence with 350 ASRAAM or Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, financed through the proceeds of confiscated Russian assets, to protect the country from attacks by Russian planes and drones.
The AIM-132 ASRAAM heat-seeking missiles, designed for air-to-air tasks, will be launched through the RAVEN ground defence system, with a total of 13 systems delivered.
The ASRAAMs have been adapted to be used by ground-based air defence systems and are launched from a truck, thanks to a joint effort carried out by British Defence with MBDA UK in record time.
This support is part of a broader commitment by the UK and its Allies to support Ukraine, with a contribution of 4.5 billion pounds this year, and an investment of 350 million pounds for the purchase of drones.
The initiative not only promotes European security but also creates jobs in the UK, supporting Prime Minister Starmer’s Plan for Change.
#### Features of the ASRAAM
The ASRAAM (AIM-132) weighs 88 kg, is 2.9 meters long, has a diameter of 166 mm, and in the air-to-air version has a range exceeding 25 km.
The missile reaches widely supersonic speeds (above Mach 3.4), it has an inertial guidance system and infrared tracking system.
The warhead weighs 10 kg with fragmentation explosion; the fuze can be set for impact and proximity laser.
Source: UK Ministry of Defence (UK MoD)
Photo credit @MBDA
