Rapid Ranger from Thales: Ukrainian III Corps shows British air defence system

The Ukrainian 3rd Army Corps is presenting an air defence missile system from the United Kingdom: the Rapid Ranger from Thales can be seen on the Facebook page of its 1030th Anti-Aircraft Missile and Artillery Regiment “Aquila”.

The lightweight, highly automated air defence system closes the gaps between mobile fire groups and heavy, less mobile air defence systems. It ensures the protection of airspace in areas where radar systems cannot detect the target and other fire assets cannot hit it.— 3rd Army Corps

The published photos show the Thales UK system mounted on a tactical vehicle of Spanish origin, a URO VAMTAC (-> Portugal procures 75 URO VAMTAC for its marines). It is armed with LMM Martlet short-range air defence missiles.

Weighing less than 500 kilograms and with a modular design, Rapid Ranger fits numerous wheeled and tracked vehicles. This allows critical sites, convoy routes or forces on the move to be protected effectively and with high mobility. A sensor is integrated for 360-degree all-round surveillance – either a passive infrared search and track system (IRST) or a built-in radar for surveillance and tracking. This enables the system to operate fully autonomously.

Rapid Ranger for many target types

It fires Martlet and Starstreak missiles, which have an extremely short time of flight. This allows a broad spectrum of targets to be engaged: aerial targets approaching head-on or crossing at speed, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters, but also ground targets – light armoured vehicles (LAVs), trucks and fixed installations. Both missile types are guided by Thales's laser beam-riding guidance system. The system acquires targets at more than 15 kilometres and can engage them at over 7 kilometres. Reaction time is less than five seconds.