Ukraine to Receive Giraffe Mark IV Radars From Ireland

24 February, 2025 Illustrative photo of the Lithuanian Giraffe Mark IV radar. Photo from open sources. Ireland has announced the transfer of Giraffe Mark IV radars to Ukraine.

The Irish Times reported on this. It is reported that the transfer of radars was part of the Irish government's commitment to Ukraine in providing non-lethal military assistance. The newspaper's sources say that Ireland may transfer at least three radars.

Illustrative photo of the Irish Giraffe Mark IV radar.

Photo from open sources

It is known that the country has a total of seven Griafe Mark IVs in service, purchased in 2008. In September 2024, Ukraine and Ireland signed an agreement on support and cooperation between the two countries.

Giraffe Mark IV

The Giraffe Mk IV is a mobile air defense early warning and control radar system developed by the Swedish company Saab. It is one of the oldest members of the Giraffe family of radars designed to detect low-flying airborne targets in difficult electronic warfare and natural jamming environments.

The Giraffe Mk IV radar is mounted on the chassis of the BV206 tracked all-terrain vehicle.

Illustrative photo of the Giraffe Mark IV radar. Photo from open sources

The Mk IV is equipped with a folding mast that allows the antenna to be raised to a height sufficient to detect low-flying targets, even if they are hidden behind natural or artificial obstacles. The system was first introduced in 1977 and has been supplied to the armies of Sweden, Finland, Lithuania and Ireland.

The detection range of the Irish Giraffe is up to 50 kilometers, and the station can track up to 20 targets simultaneously.