Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin has said that the first "sprouts" of the FrankenSAM hybrid air defence system are already being used on the battlefield.
The minister said this at a briefing about the annual performance of the Ministry of Strategic Industries and Ukroboronprom in 2023, Suspilne reports.
According to Kamyshin, Ukraine is currently developing its own air defence systems - "large", "complex", "expensive", "long-range". The so-called "hybrid" air defence systems have already shown their worth this winter.
"The first solutions from the FrankenSAM project portfolio are already operating on the battlefield. When we were in the United States with the minister of defence, we saw systems developed jointly by Ukrainian and American companies. And at the same time, they are now operating on our frontline. They can protect critical infrastructure and cities. These solutions allow us to have our own rapid air defence," Kamyshin said.
What is known about FrankenSAM
· In October, The New York Times reported that Ukraine and the United States have created a hybrid air defence system that combines advanced Western-style surface-to-air missiles with modernised Soviet-era launchers or radars.
· US officials call it the FrankenSAM programme, which combines advanced Western-calibre surface-to-air missiles with retrofitted Soviet-era launchers or radars that Ukrainian forces already have.