Strengthening air defense: Key details on Sea Sparrow missiles Ukraine to receive soon
Sea Sparrow (Mate Airman)
Ukraine will soon receive a batch of American surface-to-air missiles. They will help strengthen the country's air defense system.
RBC-Ukraine has gathered key facts about these missiles.
Who will provide Ukraine with these missiles
Ukraine will receive a batch of 8 missiles from Belgium. This was announced by the Office of the Belgian Minister of Defense, Ludivine Dedonder.
Previously, Dedonder expressed the desire to enhance Ukraine's air defense.
"New deliveries are planned, including air defense strengthening, supplying ammunition, and soldiers training," he said.
Belgium purchased these missiles from Germany, for 7,000 euros each. They were previously used on Bremen-class frigates.
Specifications of the Sea Sparrow
The Sea Sparrow is an American guided missile classified as "ship-to-air" with a semi-active radar homing head.
It was developed in the early 1960s based on the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile and was adopted into service in 1976. It is a short-range shipborne anti-aircraft missile used to provide missile defense for ships.
Key specifications
- Length: 3.64 meters
- Diameter: 20.3 cm
- Wing span: 1 meter
- Firing range: minimum - 1.5 km, maximum - 20-30 km
- Altitude of engagement: minimum - 6 m, maximum - 15,240 m
- Maximum speed: 3.5 Mach
- Launch mass: approximately 225 kg
- Guidance system: semi-active using continuous-wave or pulsed Doppler radar energy
- Propulsion: solid-fueled rocket engine Alliant TechSystems (Hercules) Mark 58
Ukraine already uses these missiles to counter Russian attacks
In January of this year, the United States announced the allocation of another military aid package to Ukraine worth nearly $3 billion.
Among other things, Washington decided to provide Ukraine with Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missiles.
As previously reported by Politico, Ukrainian military personnel were able to adapt Buk missile launchers to use these American missiles.
