Main image: The Drops vehicle is designed to transport the Gravehawk system across various terrain and different environments (Picture: MOD)
The United Kingdom has officially presented the Gravehawk air defense missile system, specifically designed for Ukraine.
Forces News has published photos of the new system.
According to reports, Gravehawk was developed from scratch in just 18 months to counter drones, cruise missiles, and aircraft. The cost of its development amounted to 6 million pounds sterling.
The project was carried out by a small team within the UK Ministry of Defense—Taskforce Kindred, which is responsible for supplying British weapons and equipment to Ukraine. Several British defense companies participated in the development, but their names remain classified.
The system is based on Soviet R-73 air-to-air missiles, adapted for use with a ground-based launcher.
Depending on the variant, the R-73 missile can lock onto targets in the forward hemisphere at a distance of 20 km (RMD-1) to 40 km (RMD-2), and in the rear hemisphere up to 300 meters.
These missiles are available in significant quantities in the arsenal of the Ukrainian Air Force and can also be found on the international arms market.
