Exclusive: British MoD Releases First Images of New Supacat-ASRAAM Air Defense Missile Vehicle for Ukraine.

The British Ministry of Defense has disclosed images of a new mobile air defense missile system delivered to Ukraine for the first time. The system is built around the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), mounted on a Supacat High Mobility Transporter (HMT) 6x6 light tactical truck. This innovative configuration provides Ukrainian forces with a highly mobile, responsive, and precise platform to counter aerial threats. Read full Defense News at this link ...
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British Chancellor Rachel Reeves inspects military equipment supplied to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including Supacat-ASRAAM advanced short-range air-to-air defense missile system, during her visit to RAF Northolt in northwest London. (Picture source: British MoD)

The first delivery by the UK of this air defense missile system reportedly took place before August 2023, with its operational debut in Ukraine confirmed by October of the same year. Combat footage from the front lines showed the system effectively engaging Russian drones during nighttime operations. The adaptation of ASRAAM (Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile) missiles into a ground-based platform not only highlights the versatility of Western-supplied weaponry but also reflects a growing trend of improvisation and modernization in Ukraine’s integrated air defense strategy.

According to defense sources, the ground-launched ASRAAM system has demonstrated an exceptional combat performance, achieving a reported hit rate of up to 90% against aerial threats, including low-flying helicopters and drones. This high level of accuracy and lethality has provided Ukrainian forces with a powerful tool to counter persistent drone and missile attacks, which have posed one of the most costly and pressing challenges throughout the conflict.

The Supacat HMT 6x6 platform serves as the backbone of this system. It is a combat-proven, all-terrain military vehicle designed for versatility in roles such as troop transport, reconnaissance, and command-and-control operations. Its robust suspension and modular design allow for quick adaptation to various battlefield roles. In this case, the vehicle has been modified to accommodate a launch platform for ASRAAM missiles, giving it the ability to quickly deploy, fire, and reposition, which is crucial in avoiding counter-battery or aerial detection in contested environments.

ASRAAM (AIM-132), originally developed as a short-range air-to-air missile, has been successfully adapted for ground-launch scenarios. It boasts high speed—exceeding Mach 3—and, while the air-launched version can engage targets at over 25 kilometers, the ground-launched variant still offers substantial short-range coverage suitable for defending forward positions, command centers, and critical infrastructure. The missile is equipped with a sophisticated infrared homing seeker, using a 128×128 element focal plane array, allowing it to lock onto and track targets with high precision even after launch. This “lock-on after launch” capability enhances flexibility in dynamic combat situations.

Furthermore, ASRAAM’s 10 kg blast-fragmentation warhead is specifically designed to destroy aerial targets with minimal collateral damage. Combined with the highly mobile Supacat HMT platform, the missile system forms a compact, rapidly deployable air defense asset that Ukraine has already demonstrated it can use effectively in the field.

This British-developed air defense system represents a strategic and tactical enhancement to Ukraine’s layered air defense architecture. It underscores the importance of international military assistance in adapting advanced technologies to meet the evolving demands of modern warfare, especially in the context of drone and missile-heavy combat environments seen in Ukraine.