Ukrainian developers have shown the launcher for the ‘Koral’ surface-to-air missiles for the first time, reports Militarnyi from the MSPO defence exhibition, which opened on 8 September in Poland.
According to an image released by Ukroboronprom, the ‘Koral’ missile is launched from a self-propelled launcher mounted on the chassis of a Czech Tatra lorry.
“The missile is positioned as a means of intercepting aerial and ballistic targets. It is planned for use as part of an air defence system,” the outlet writes.
In addition, it is claimed that, under certain conditions, the system could also be used to strike ground or surface radar-contrast targets.
Missile specifications
Weight: 450 kg.
Warhead: 36 kg.
Diameter: 230/300 mm.
Length: 4.8 m.
Wingspan: 835 mm.
Fin span: 685 mm.
“Its guidance system combines an inertial navigation system, radio correction and an active radar seeker,” the outlet also noted.
Background
Development of the ‘Koral’ missile began in 2016 at the Luch Design Bureau, initially as a ship-based anti-aircraft system; later, a medium-range ground-based version was also discussed.
A mock-up of the first Ukrainian surface-to-air missile was shown in 2021 at the ‘Weapons and Security’ exhibition: the stated range was up to 30 km, engagement altitude up to 10 km, and targets ranging from drones to cruise and ballistic missiles. However, the modification later received a range of up to 100 km. The seeker is an active radar unit from Radionix. At the time, chief designer Oleh Korostelov assessed the project’s readiness at 70%.
In March 2026, the Luch Design Bureau and Radionix signed agreements with Spain’s Sener, a manufacturer of components for IRIS-T. Defense Express directly linked this to the ‘Koral’ missile.
In April 2026, the missile appeared publicly for the first time not as a mock-up, in the background of a video of Zelenskyy from an arms exhibition. Western analysts, including The War Zone, identified the item as an industrial prototype of the ‘Koral’ and suggested the missile could be being prepared for Patriot launchers.