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Breaking News: UK to Deliver Five More British-Made Raven Missile Systems to Boost Ukraine’s Air Defense Capabilities.
In a significant revelation through a video published by the British Ministry of Defence on May 10, 2025, Colonel Olly Todd of the British Royal Marines confirmed that the United Kingdom had delivered eight Raven air defense missile systems to Ukraine in 2022. He further stated that an additional five units are set for imminent delivery. This development highlights the UK’s continued commitment to reinforcing Ukraine’s air defense capabilities amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
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A British-made Raven air defense system based on a Supacat HMT 600 vehicle seen in action in Ukraine, launching an ASRAAM missile to intercept an incoming aerial threat during frontline operations. (Picture source: UK MoD video footage)
The British-made Raven air defense missile system, often referred to as “Frankensam” due to its hybrid configuration, represents a sophisticated and highly mobile ground-based defense solution tailored to Ukraine’s battlefield requirements. Built on the robust Supacat HMT 600 6x6 chassis, Raven offers excellent mobility and rapid deployment, essential qualities for responding to fast-changing aerial threats in contested environments. Central to the system’s combat power is its integration of the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile, ASRAAM, also known by its US designation AIM-132. Originally developed for air-to-air engagements, the ASRAAM has been adapted for ground launch, significantly enhancing Ukraine’s ability to counter low-altitude aerial threats such as drones, helicopters, and cruise missiles.
ASRAAM is a supersonic infrared-guided missile capable of exceeding Mach 3 and originally intended for use on aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35. When launched from air platforms, its range extends up to 50 kilometers. Although ground-launched variants experience a reduction in range, the missile retains its high speed and exceptional accuracy, thanks to an advanced imaging infrared seeker and sophisticated guidance algorithms. When combined with the Raven’s advanced targeting systems, the missile offers Ukrainian forces a highly effective tool for intercepting fast and evasive aerial targets.
The Raven air defense missile system is designed to engage a wide spectrum of aerial threats commonly encountered in modern conflict zones. It is particularly well-suited to intercepting low-flying and maneuverable aircraft, including Russian Su-25 ground attack jets and Ka-52 attack helicopters, both of which pose a persistent danger to Ukrainian ground forces. It is also highly effective against a growing number of loitering munitions and tactical drones used by Russian forces for reconnaissance and strike missions. Furthermore, the system can engage slow-moving cruise missiles, which are increasingly being used to target Ukrainian infrastructure. This makes the Raven a crucial asset in Ukraine’s layered defense network, especially in frontline and high-value asset protection roles.
The Raven air defense system has earned the nickname “Frankensam” as a result of its unconventional and innovative construction. This name is a blend of "Frankenstein" and "SAM," referring to surface-to-air missiles, and it captures the essence of a system built from repurposed components of various military platforms. Much like Frankenstein’s monster, the Raven is assembled from disparate elements drawn from existing defense technologies. Its chassis is based on the Supacat HMT 600, originally designed for special operations, while its launcher is adapted to fire ASRAAM missiles typically carried by fighter jets. British engineers integrated targeting, fire control, and power subsystems from different sources to create a functional and cost-effective air defense solution. This creative engineering allowed for rapid deployment and avoided the delays of designing a new system from scratch. In this way, the Frankensam moniker reflects the battlefield ingenuity and adaptability that underpin the Raven’s development.
The system features modular electronic and sensor payloads, integrated command-and-control capabilities, and an armored crew compartment. These attributes ensure it can be deployed quickly, operated safely under threat conditions, and maintained effectively within Ukraine’s growing air defense infrastructure. Its ability to operate within a networked defense system also enables seamless integration into existing Ukrainian command structures, contributing to a more resilient and layered air defense network.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the UK has emerged as one of Ukraine’s most critical defense partners. By early 2025, the UK had already committed more than 10.8 billion pounds in military assistance, with an annual defense aid package of 3 billion pounds expected to continue for the foreseeable future. This military support has prominently featured systems designed to improve Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
Among the notable British contributions are the Starstreak high-velocity missiles, which were supplied in the early months of the war. These laser-guided munitions are designed to intercept high-speed aerial threats such as attack helicopters and low-flying aircraft. Complementing these were Stormer HVM vehicles, armored mobile platforms that mount multiple Starstreak launchers, adding both protection and mobility to Ukraine’s front-line defenses. The UK also provided Martlet lightweight multirole missiles, particularly effective against small drones and lightly armored aerial platforms.
In addition, the British defense industry introduced the Gravehawk system, a creative adaptation of surplus Soviet-era R-73 air-to-air missiles for use in ground-based launchers. This not only extended the utility of legacy weapons stockpiles but also addressed the urgent need for anti-drone solutions by enabling rapid saturation of incoming threats at lower cost.
The delivery of the Raven system and its ASRAAM missiles represents a strategic evolution in the way Western allies are supporting Ukraine. Rather than relying solely on new production lines or standard military platforms, the UK has led the way in engineering adaptive solutions by leveraging existing technologies in innovative configurations to meet urgent battlefield requirements. This approach has allowed for faster delivery times, lower costs, and increased tactical flexibility.
By equipping Ukraine with Raven air defense missile systems, the UK is not only contributing to immediate defense needs but also shaping the future of military aid strategies. These systems demonstrate how adaptability and ingenuity can play a decisive role in modern conflict, offering effective and sustainable solutions even in resource-constrained environments.
As Ukraine continues to defend its sovereignty and protect its civilian population from ongoing aerial threats, the continued delivery of systems like Raven will play a crucial role in enhancing its airspace integrity. The UK’s contributions, both in terms of hardware and tactical innovation, have significantly strengthened Ukraine’s capacity to repel aggression and maintain operational stability on the ground.