What is Gravehawk, the new air defence system heading to Ukraine?

As leaders meet in Paris to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war, there’s hope that a new weapon system could give Ukrainian forces an edge.  

The Gravehawk, an air defence system designed by the United Kingdom and Denmark that’s the size of a shipping container, retrofits air missiles for “ground-based air defence”.

The UK government says this means Ukrainians can use the weapons they already have. 

According to the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), the system uses the Soviet R-73 or AA-11 short-range air-to-air missiles, which can take on targets up to 32 kilometres. 

The BFBS wrote the storage container also has a system at the very top that uses passive infrared radiation to detect its targets. These images are then transmitted to a command module. 

“With Ukraine under constant Russian bombardment, the Gravehawk system will boost Ukraine’s air defences, allowing them to defend their cities, troops and critical infrastructure,” a government statement from earlier this year said. 

Part of a multi-million equipment package to Ukraine

Two prototypes have already been tested in Ukraine and a further 15 units are coming in 2025, the government said in January. Ukraine used an R-73 missile to shoot down a Russian helicopter in December. 

According to Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, the cost of producing and delivering two prototype Gravehawks to Ukraine was circa £6 million (€7 million) and was “borne by the UK”.

The other 15 units dedicated to Ukraine will cost £14 million (€16.8 million) and will be split between the UK and Denmark, the response continued. 

According to the UK’s Ministry of Defence, the 15 Gravehawks are part of the £150 million (€180.3 million) military equipment package announced by the British government.

The announcement includes thousands of drones, 50 armoured vehicles, and air defence equipment for more than 100 Ukrainian air defence teams.