The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine announced on Sunday, March 2, that the United Kingdom will finance the supply of 5,000 interceptor missiles to Ukraine through a loan from the UK Export Finance (UKEF) agency, along with launchers for them. This project will be implemented as part of an initiative to strengthen our air defense by 2030 in collaboration with Ukrainian contractors, the British government, and the defense company Thales.
As noted by the defense ministry, this involves the LMM (Lightweight Multirole Missile) missiles and the RapidRanger launch systems. Importantly, the ministry emphasizes that, in addition to the direct supply, the extensive air defense enhancement project also aims at localizing production, transferring technology, and supporting our defense industry, although details have not yet been disclosed.
It is crucial to highlight that the Ukrainian Defense Forces already have LMM missiles manufactured by Thales in their arsenal, and last fall, the United Kingdom announced the allocation of a large batch of these missiles, specifically 650 units, the first of which our military was expected to receive by the end of last year.
If we talk about LMM missiles, primarily they are designed to protect against long-range strike drones from the aggressor. According to the specifications listed on Thales' official website, the missile weighs 13 kg, can destroy targets at a distance of over 6 km, and has a speed of 1.5 Mach.
LMM missiles can be used, for example, with the Marlet MANPADS or the same short-range Stormer air defense systems (both of which are in service with the Ukrainian Defense Forces), while the United Kingdom will also enhance our military with RapidRanger launchers from Thales.
The RapidRanger is a combat module designed for four launchers for various missiles, including LMM or StarStreak, and can be mounted on different wheeled or tracked vehicles. It offers the possibility of integrating daytime and thermal cameras, target tracking systems, and a 360-degree observation sensor, collectively ensuring the system's autonomous operation. The module weighs less than 500 kg, with a target detection range of over 15 km.