Ukraine’s defense industry has developed a new mobile air defense system based on the HMMWV, integrating R-73 air-to-air missiles.

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade received such systems.

Photos published by the brigade show that the modernization effort retained only the vehicle’s platform, with a new cabin and missile launcher installed.

Electronic warfare systems designed to counter FPV drones were also mounted on the roof.

The mobile air defense system received R-73 air-to-air guided missiles.

“Old hardware is not a sentence. We reimagined the platform while preserving its key advantages—maneuverability and mobility. The air-to-air missile is now ground-launched: ‘fire and forget’—the missile locks onto its target, the air defense system relocates, and our troops remain protected,” the brigade said.

The air missile has a certain advantage, because it works on the “fire and forget” principle, it does not need to be accompanied, like some other air defense missiles.

This allows the air defense system to immediately change position after a shot, so as not to expose itself to a retaliatory strike.

The R-73 missile’s range varies depending on the version, with the RMD-1 reaching up to 20 km in the forward hemisphere and the RMD-2 up to 40 km, and in the rear – up to 300 meters.

Ukraine also operates U.S.-supplied AN/TWQ-1 Avenger air defense systems, which are based on the HMMWV and use FIM-92 Stinger missiles.

These systems played a role in repelling a Russian drone attack on Kyiv.

The Avenger from the FIM-92 Stinger portable anti-aircraft missile system, which are massively supplied to Ukraine by Western partner countries.

The Avenger uses relatively cheap and widespread missiles – carries eight Stinger missiles and a 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun.

Stinger missiles, widely supplied to Ukraine by Western allies, can engage aerial targets at altitudes of up to 3.8 km and ranges of up to 5.5 km.