Ukraine Explores Mounting Stinger, Starstreak MANPADS on Naval Drones

Ukraine is considering equipping its maritime drones with Western-made MANPADS Stinger and Starstreak.

Vadym Sukharevskyi, Commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine, shared this in his interview with the Defence24.

Naval drones are evolving into a fully capable surface platform that can be armed with a wider range of weapons.

According to Sukharevsky, in the future, it is advisable to install FIM-92 Stinger or Starstreak man-portable air defense systems on such surface platforms.

“They would be quite effective in the fight against aircraft,” the commander added.

The use of man-portable air defense systems will reduce the enemy’s air superiority and increase the survivability and efficiency of naval drones.

“This should lead to the enemy losing control over the Black and Azov Seas from both fleet and air, which would play a key role in the operation to liberate occupied Crimea,” Sukharevskyi said.

The commander added that the most important thing in the field of maritime drones, as in all other areas, is constant development and improvement, which is what the Unmanned Systems Forces are constantly working on.

It is known that Ukraine is already using maritime drones with R-73 air-to-air missiles.

The R-73 is a short-range air-to-air missile, but it can also be launched from ground-based installations.

It does not require radar or other systems for guidance, as it is equipped with its own thermal homing head.

On the night of December 31, 2024, the Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down two enemy air targets for the first time in the world using a maritime drone armed with R-73 missiles.