How Ukraine’s FrankenSAM project lets old Soviet air defense systems fire U.S. missiles.

Ukraine continues to deploy the FrankenSAM air defense system, a hybrid variant that allows Soviet-built Buk launchers to use U.S. RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles.

On October 12, 2025, a picture shared by the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment showed the operational deployment of the FrankenSAM, a surface-to-air missile system created through cooperation between Ukraine and the United States. The system combines the Buk-M1 launcher with American RIM-7 interceptors, helping Ukraine to continue medium-range air defense despite scarce stocks of original Soviet interceptors. Ukrainian officials previously said that the program has transformed otherwise obsolete hardware into a viable, modular network of interceptors that can be maintained with NATO-standard munitions.
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The Buk-based FrankenSAM retains the 9A310 transporter-erector-launcher and the 9S35 Fire Dome radar, exploiting common semi-active radar homing principles between the original 9M38 and the RIM-7 missiles. (Picture source: Ukrainian Sich Regiment)

The FrankenSAM initiative originated in late 2022, when Ukraine and the United States began cooperating to upgrade Soviet-made systems using available Western missiles to offset dwindling supplies of Soviet 9M38 interceptors. The program’s name refers to its combination of components from different origins, designed to sustain medium-range air defense capability against Russian aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles. This adaptation has enabled Ukraine to modernize its Buk-M1 fleet without waiting for deliveries of new systems, ensuring continued protection of key regions during periods of heavy aerial attacks. The Buk-based FrankenSAM variant retains the original Buk-M1 9A310 transporter-erector-launcher and its associated 9S35 Fire Dome tracking and illumination radar. Both the 9M38 and the RIM-7 missiles use semi-active radar homing guidance, allowing integration with limited modification.

Visual analysis indicates that the main radar and radome remain largely unchanged, with frequency and modulation adjustments introduced to synchronize with the RIM-7’s radar signal requirements. The RIM-7’s operational range of about 20 km is shorter than the Buk’s standard 30–35 km with 9M38 missiles, but the transition to a more accessible and abundant supply of Western interceptors ensures the system remains viable for medium-range operations. The RIM-7 Sea Sparrow uses a solid-propellant MK-58 rocket motor, weighs approximately 230 kg, reaches a top speed of around 4,250 km/h, and employs a 41 kg annular blast fragmentation warhead with a proximity fuze effective within an 8-meter radius. The FrankenSAM’s modified launch canisters accommodate Sea Sparrow missiles in similar four-cell arrangements, while kill markings visible in photos released by Ukrainian units suggest successful use against reconnaissance UAVs and loitering munitions such as the Lancet drone.

According to Ukrainian parliamentary defense committee member Oleksandra Ustinova, five Buk launchers were retrofitted in the United States, and the first systems were delivered to Ukraine in early 2024. An additional 17 launchers are scheduled for conversion, with modifications completed within one month per unit. In November 2023, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat confirmed that these systems had passed live-fire tests at U.S. training facilities, successfully destroying target drones. Leaked photos published in May 2024 and new imagery shared in October 2025 by the Sich Riflemen Regiment provide visual confirmation of operational deployment. The adaptation directly addresses Ukraine’s shortage of Russian-made 9M38 missiles, which are no longer obtainable, and prevents the Buk-M1 from being withdrawn from combat service due to ammunition scarcity. The hybrid system offers a pragmatic balance between performance and sustainability, maintaining intercept capability during the ongoing war.

The FrankenSAM program encompasses three distinct hybrid systems. The first, already deployed, is the Buk-M1–RIM-7 configuration. The second involves integrating Soviet-era radars with U.S.-supplied AIM-9M Sidewinder infrared-guided missiles. The AIM-9M, with a range of up to 10 km and a top speed of Mach 2.5, uses an infrared seeker that locks onto a target’s heat signature, requiring minimal radar input and reducing operator involvement. This version can be mounted on multiple chassis types, drawing inspiration from systems like the U.S. AN/TWQ-1 Avenger or Soviet Strela-10, and could eventually be adapted to the 9K33 Osa launcher. The third and most powerful variant combines U.S.-designed Patriot missiles with Ukrainian radar systems, such as the domestically produced three-coordinate 80K6KS1 Phoenix radar with a detection radius of 400 km. Tests reportedly resulted in a successful drone interception, with delivery planned for winter 2025 along with donated Patriot components. This variant uses Patriot GEM-T and CRI/MSE missiles, which require radio command guidance during the early engagement phase and active radar homing in the terminal stage, demonstrating compatibility with existing Ukrainian radar networks. Finally, a fourth variant replaces the original 9M33M3 surface-to-air missiles of the Osa-AKM with R-73 air-to-air missiles, introducing an "fire-and-forget" functionality to avoid counterbattery fires.

The FrankenSAM effort has been supported by partner states contributing missile stockpiles. In October 2024, Germany confirmed deliveries of RIM-7 Sea Sparrow and AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder missiles to Ukraine as part of a broader assistance package. These missiles, originally purchased by Belgium from Germany, were transferred to Ukraine and integrated into the FrankenSAM program. The package also included 12 IRIS-T SLM systems, Leopard 1A5 and Marder IFVs, six Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers, and large quantities of ammunition and drones. The RIM-7’s effective interception altitude of 15 km complements the Buk’s medium-range role, providing a layered defense when combined with IRIS-T and Patriot systems. The Sidewinder deliveries allow for the expansion of short-range FrankenSAM configurations using infrared-guided missiles, filling a capability gap between shoulder-launched systems and longer-range batteries. The integration of these missiles, along with radar and electronic support equipment, strengthens Ukraine’s air defense architecture amid continuous Russian missile and drone strikes.

The United States Congress has taken interest in the FrankenSAM’s development and testing timeline, noting its efficiency compared to traditional acquisition cycles. The Senate Armed Services Committee stated in July 2024 that the system was designed, built, and live-fire tested within eight months from contract award and entered combat operations in Ukraine within two months of arrival, after less than two weeks of operator training. The system’s architecture includes mobile command posts, communication towers, infrared camera systems, radar trailers, and compact networking modules, enabling a modular and networked air defense grid. Lawmakers requested a briefing from the Secretary of Defense by March 31, 2025, on how FrankenSAM systems have been used operationally, what resources are needed for further improvement, and whether such hybrid approaches could be adapted for U.S. base defense in the Pacific. The design’s open-architecture framework allows integration of different effectors and platforms, from truck-mounted to fixed-base or palletized configurations, and its “effector-agnostic” capability means it can use various missile types from existing NATO stockpiles.

The Ukrainian Brave1 defense technology initiative, established in late 2024, continues to play a major role in domestic production and adaptation of hybrid air defense systems. The program connects government institutions, private companies, and research centers to accelerate prototype development and battlefield deployment of indigenous technologies. FrankenSAM conversions align with Brave1’s mission by extending the life of Soviet-era launchers while integrating Western interceptors. This approach maintains operational readiness amid limited ammunition supplies and builds the foundation for post-war industrial self-sufficiency. The Sich Riflemen Regiment, also known as the 223rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment under Air Command West, has experience operating Buk-M1 systems and has been actively engaged in protecting infrastructure and combat zones across Ukraine, maximising the efficiency of systems such as FrankenSAM.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.