On Wednesday, February 12, the United Kingdom officially published a photo of the Gravehawk anti-aircraft missile system, which was created specifically for Ukraine. This was reported by Forces News, UNN writes.
Details
It is noted that Gravehawk was developed from scratch in just 18 months to counter drones, cruise missiles and aircraft. The project was implemented by a small team at the UK Ministry of Defense - Taskforce Kindred, which is responsible for the supply of British weapons and equipment to Ukraine.
Several British defense companies were also involved in the development, but their names remain classified. The system is based on Soviet R-73 air-to-air missiles, which were adapted for use from a ground launcher.
The R-73 missile, depending on the variant, can engage targets in the front hemisphere at a distance of 20 (RMD-1) to 40 (RMD-2) kilometers, and in the rear hemisphere - up to 300 meters. These missiles are in service with the Ukrainian Air Force in significant numbers and are also available on the international arms market,
Interestingly, the launcher is housed in a standard ISO shipping container, making it easy to transport by truck, train or ship. This format also allows for concealed transportation and rapid deployment of the Gravehawk to the right areas.
The roof of the container is equipped with an optical system that uses passive infrared radiation to detect targets. The only thing it needs to operate is the heat signature of the aircraft.
The use of infrared detection means that the system has no radar radiation, making it less vulnerable to detection by the enemy. Images from the optical system are sent to a command module the size of a briefcase
The cost of one Gravehawk complex is about £1 million sterling ($1.24 million), and half of the amount is financed by Denmark.
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