Germany hands over missiles for FrankenSAM to Ukraine

18 October, 2024 Modernized launcher 9A310M1 of the Buk-M1 SAM with Sea Sparrow missiles, May 2024. Photo credits: Air Command East The German government has announced a new military aid package for Ukraine that includes anti-aircraft missiles for Ukraine's FrankenSAM systems.

The full list was published on the evening of October 17 on the official website of the German government. In particular, it includes armored vehicles, self-propelled artillery systems, engineering equipment, ammunition, anti-aircraft missiles, and the previously promised IRIS-T air defense systems. Full list of the military aid package from Germany includes:

• 8 Leopard 1A5 tanks;
• 20 Marder IFVs, with ammunition and spare parts;
• ammunition for Leopard 2 and Leopard 1 tanks;
• 4 MRAP;
• 1 IRIS-T SLM air defense system;
• 1 IRIS-T SLS air defense system;
• IRIS-T SLM missiles;
• Sea Sparrow missiles;
• 6 Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzers with spare parts;
• 24,000 rounds 155 mm ammunition;
• 30 reconnaissance UAVs Vector with spare parts;
• 1 BEAVER bridge-laying tanks with spare parts;
• 2 WISENT 1 mine clearing tanks with spare parts;
• 100 H-PEMBS portable mine clearing systems;
• 90 mine detectors;
• 1 mine plough;
• 2 mobile antenna mast systems;
• 57 laser range finders;
• 3,000 RGW 90 man-portable anti-tank weapons;
• 25,000 rounds of 40 mm ammunition;
• 75,000 tourniquets;
• 150,000 chest seals.

Also, 460 MK 556 assault rifles, 110 HLR 338 precision rifles and 240000 rounds of ammunition for them, 30 HAENEL CR 308 rifles, 3000 SFP9 pistols were delivered.

It is worth noting that the 20 Marder infantry fighting vehicles handed over are the last batch promised for transfer.
The list of equipment scheduled for transfer has been updated:

• AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder missiles;
• 2 TRML-4D radars;
• 4,000 strike drones;
• 361 SONGBIRD reconnaissance drones;
• 42,000 rounds of 40 mm ammunition.

FrankenSAM

RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile

It is worth noting that the list of aid has been supplemented with some new items that Germany has not yet provided to Ukraine. In particular, it regards RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles and AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. However, Ukraine has already received German RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles, but not from Germany, but from Belgium.

In September 2023, it became known that Belgium had purchased missiles of that type from Germany, which had been used on the German frigates such as the Bremen. These missiles are used on the modified Ukrainian Buk-M1 air defense systems, which were created due to an acute shortage of original missiles under the FrankenSAM program.

A modernized 9A39 launcher of the Buk-M1 system with Sea Sparrow missiles, May 2024. Photo credits: Air Command East

The project to modernize the systems was developed jointly by the American and Ukrainian engineers and first implemented in metal in the United States last November. At the same time, they underwent their first successful tests at one of the American training grounds.

Indeed, the RIM-7 has much more modest capabilities: the missile is capable of hitting air targets at a distance of up to 20,000 meters and up to 15,000 meters in altitude. At the same time, the scarce 9M38s were capable of intercepting targets at a distance of up to 32,000 meters and an altitude of up to 20,000 meters. The AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles are a German modernization of the locally produced AIM-9L missiles and are similar in their characteristics to the AIM-9M missiles.

AIM-9M missile.

Illustration by Yasutoshi Mori

These missiles can also be used on the yet-to-be publicly shown "small" FrankenSAM, which is supposed to fire the AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles.

The improvised system was created using the radars and other components provided by the US and Ukrainian allies.

Alternatively, these missiles could be used on the Ukrainian F-16s to intercept cruise missiles or UAVs.