Venezuela deploys Buk-M2E air defense missile a major threat to U.S. fighter jets and missiles.

A video analyzed by Army Recognition’s defense analysts confirms that Venezuela has deployed the Buk-M2E air defense missile systems near Caracas. The deployment strengthens Venezuela’s air defense network and poses a direct threat to U.S. aircraft and missiles in any potential conflict.

Venezuela has deployed advanced Russian-built Buk-M2E surface-to-air missile systems, according to video evidence analyzed by Army Recognition’s defense analysts. The systems, observed in a combat-ready configuration near Caracas, mark a significant boost to Venezuela’s integrated air defense network. This deployment increases the threat to U.S. air operations by enabling Venezuelan forces to target advanced aircraft such as the F-35 Lightning II, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, as well as long-range precision weapons including the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM).
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Venezuelan Buk-M2E surface-to-air missile system deployed west of Caracas, Venezuela. Image captured from local media footage showing the movement of launcher vehicles and radar units on October 25, 2025, indicating full combat readiness. (Picture source: Venezuela TV)

In the event of a U.S.-led precision strike campaign, whether launched from carrier strike groups or forward-deployed airbases in the Caribbean basin, these assets would likely be the first to confront Venezuela’s Russian-supplied air defense network. With rising tensions following exercises involving Venezuela Air Defense Forces, the Buk-M2E now stands as the cornerstone of Caracas’ anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) architecture and a growing concern for U.S. military planners.

The Buk-M2E, known as the SA-17 Grizzly by NATO, is one of Russia's top medium-range air defense systems. It is more mobile and can engage threats faster than the S-300VM. Positioned near Caracas, it protects command and control sites and extends its reach into southern Caribbean air corridors used by U.S. forces. Venezuela's armed forces are equipped with the wheeled version of the Buk-M2, which is based on a tracked armored chassis in the Russian army. 

Each Buk-M2E battery includes self-propelled launchers with 9M317E missiles, capable of intercepting aerial targets up to 45 km away and at altitudes up to 25 km. The system counters various threats, including fighter jets, UAVs, guided bombs, and cruise missiles.

The Buk-M2E’s radar suite is a key component of its effectiveness. The 9S36 fire-control radar, mounted on each self-propelled launcher, provides precise target tracking and missile guidance. Operating in the X-band, it has a tracking range of up to 70 kilometers and can simultaneously engage up to 4 targets. The 9S36 uses phased-array technology with electronic beam steering, enabling rapid target switching and high jamming resistance. This radar controls the engagement process from missile launch through mid-course updates to final intercept, even against fast-moving and maneuvering targets.

The 9S18M1-3 Kupol target radar, on a separate tracked vehicle, offers 360-degree E-band airspace surveillance. It detects fighter-sized targets up to 150 km away, including low-flying UAVs and cruise missiles. Capable of tracking 100+ targets and prioritizing threats, it can detect objects as low as 15 meters to counter terrain-following munitions.

Together, these radars provide layered detection and engagement. The Kupol serves as an early warning system, while the 9S36 executes precise engagements, enabling the detection and tracking of various airborne threats even in contested environments.

Video footage analyzed by Army Recognition shows at least one Buk-M2E during the deployment phase near Caracas, showing launcher and reloader vehicles. 

The confirmed presence of the Buk-M2E introduces a credible threat to multiple tiers of U.S. airpower, including advanced multirole fighters like the F-35 Lightning II, F-15E Strike Eagle, and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, as well as long-range precision munitions such as the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM). For fourth-generation fighters, particularly the F-15E and F/A-18E/F, the Buk-M2E’s engagement envelope poses a serious risk during low- and medium-altitude SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) and strike operations. Even the F-35A, with its low observable profile, is susceptible to intermittent tracking and targeting by the Buk-M2E’s radar when operating within its engagement range. The system’s radar-guided 9M317E missiles, supported by semi-active and command guidance, can engage fast-moving aircraft performing evasive maneuvers amid electronic warfare.

Tomahawk cruise missiles, which rely on low-altitude, terrain-hugging flight profiles to evade detection, are also subject to interception by the Buk-M2E. The system’s radar capabilities—optimized to detect low-RCS targets down to 15 meters above ground—directly threaten the effectiveness of U.S. cruise missile strikes. When deployed near the Venezuelan coastline or around critical infrastructure, the Buk-M2E can engage inbound cruise missiles during their terminal approach, reducing the likelihood of successful preemptive U.S. strikes and complicating U.S. mission planning.

Each launcher vehicle can engage up to four targets simultaneously, and the system’s high mobility allows for rapid redeployment between engagements. This mobility makes the Buk-M2E difficult to suppress in a single wave of SEAD strikes, forcing U.S. planners to account for real-time targeting and persistent ISR support. The system’s vertical launch architecture and quick reaction time also limit the survivability of time-on-target munitions and loitering platforms attempting to exploit radar dead zones.

The Buk-M2E does not reach the engagement range of high-altitude systems like the S-300VM, but it fills a key role in Venezuela’s air defense network. By bridging the gap between point-defense systems and strategic SAMs, the Buk-M2E establishes overlapping kill zones that force U.S. aircrews to confront a layered, more complex threat environment, raising the operational risk and reducing the options for unimpeded air activity in the region.

As of November 1, 2025, the U.S. Department of War has not officially commented on Venezuela’s Buk-M2E deployment. However, U.S. intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft have increased operations from Soto Cano, Curaçao, and Puerto Rico in direct response to this new threat. This deployment highlights Venezuela’s operational goal of updating its air defense network, leveraging mobile, combat-ready platforms designed to restrict access by both manned and unmanned U.S. assets in the region.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.