U.S. sends AIM-7 missiles to Ukraine

The United States announced a new $300 million military aid package for Ukraine.

The new package is aimed at supporting and strengthening Ukrainian air defense.

This security assistance package also includes artillery, anti-armor capabilities and ammunition, including tens of millions of rounds of small arms ammunition.

Features of this package include:

• Additional munitions for Patriot air defense systems;
• AIM-7 missiles for air defense;
• Avenger air defense systems;
• Stinger anti-aircraft systems;
• Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);
• 155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;
• 105mm tank ammunition;
• Precision aerial munitions;
• Zuni aircraft rockets;
• Munitions for Unmanned Aerial Systems;
• AT-4 anti-armor systems;
• Over 30 million rounds of small arms ammunition;
• Mine clearing equipment and systems;
• Demolition munitions for obstacle clearing;
• Night vision devices;
• Spare parts, generators, and other field equipment.

For the first time Ukraine will also receive AIM-7 anti-aircraft missiles with radar guidance.

The role of these missiles in the future package is not known; currently Ukraine does not use aircraft in which this type of weapons might be integrated.

Ukraine has experience in integrating Western weapons into Soviet aircraft, but this practice can’t be applied to AIM-7.

This missile must interact with the aircraft’s airborne electronic equipment.

A possible way to use missiles may be their launch from the Aspide anti-aircraft missile system, which uses RIM-7 missiles.

These are land-launched adapted clones of AIM-7. Spain handed over to Ukraine one battery of this anti-aircraft complex in November 2022.

Previously, American sources reported that the Ukrainian defense industry was allegedly able to integrate these American missiles with Buk air defense launchers.

The missile can shoot down targets at a maximum range of 19 km and at an altitude of 8 meters to 15 km.