Ukrainian DRAGON Air Missile Launcher Unveiled at Eurosatory

At the international Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, Ukrainian developers unveiled the DRAGON ground-based missile launch system.

According to a correspondent of Militarnyi reporting from the event, the system was showcased by the Center of Innovative Technologies Program at the booth of the Ukrainian state-owned defense exporter SpetsTechnoExport.

The DRAGON launch system is armed with three air-to-air missiles fitted with infrared homing seekers.

The system can currently employ the following missiles:

• R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) – engagement range of up to 5 km;
• R-73 (AA-11 Archer) – engagement range of 10–15 km;
• AIM-9M Sidewinder – engagement range of 8–10 km.

Work is also underway to integrate the AIM-9X Sidewinder missile.

The AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II is the most advanced short-range air-to-air missile in the Sidewinder family.

The system can be deployed within 15 minutes and can operate continuously for up to 8 hours in active mode or remain on standby for up to 14 days.

The DRAGON is controlled via a remote operator console, either through a wired communication link or via a Starlink satellite terminal.

A dedicated BALOO transport and reloading trailer has also been developed for the system.

The BALOO trailer can carry 6 to 8 missiles at a time – either 8 AIM-9 missiles or a mixed load of 4 AIM-9 missiles and 2 R-73 missiles – as well as 240 liters of nitrogen.

The nitrogen is primarily used to cool the missiles’ infrared homing seekers, ensuring their proper operation and target-acquisition capability prior to launch.