Ukrainian volunteers are modernizing MANPADS for the Ukrainian military

The Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation and volunteers from the Tehnari team adapted thermal imagers for the Igla man-portable anti-aircraft systems.

The news was announced on social media.

The installation of thermal imagers on man-portable anti-aircraft systems should allow their operators to aim missiles at targets even at night, which was previously unavailable. This significantly expands the capabilities of mobile air defense groups that counter constant nighttime attacks by Russian attack drones and cruise missiles.

Over three months, Tehnari developed and ordered special mounts for MANPADS sights and tested their effectiveness in field conditions.

The Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation has purchased 100 Guide tk 431 thermal imagers, which will equip 100 Igla MANPADS. The sights and mounts for them were transferred to military units of the Ukrainian Navy and air defense units of Air Command South.

It should be noted that the units to which the equipment was transferred are geographically located in the South of Ukraine, through whose airspace Russians are constantly launching drones and missiles to terrorize Ukrainian cities at night.

Igla MANPADS

Igla is a Soviet man-portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile system designed to defeat low-flying air targets at oncoming and parallel courses under the influence of natural and artificial thermal interference.

The anti-aircraft system consists of a disposable transport and launch container with a 9P39 missile and a 9P516 launcher.

One soldier can operate the anti-aircraft system. For this, the operator must put the system in a combat position, aim it at the target, and hold it in sight for 5 to 10 seconds until the system sends a signal of firing readiness. The missile’s thermal imaging homing head captures the heat-contrast target before the signal.

The manufacturer’s specifications allow hitting air targets at a distance of up to 5000 meters and at an altitude of up to 3500 meters. However, according to the Ukrainian military experience, currently, old missiles are able to effectively work at a distance of 2.5-3 km on targets at sideways turn antimissile maneuver or pursuit course.

The Ukrainian military has successfully used these anti-aircraft systems to shoot down enemy subsonic cruise missiles, such as Kh-101 and Kalibr.

The military is also actively using MANPADS on the front lines to counter enemy army aviation. For example, only in February 2023, the Ukrainian military managed to shoot down a Su-24М bomber and a Su-25 attack aircraft.