What Is FrankenSAM? Ukraine Reports First Successful Use of New Weapon

The Ukrainian military reported its first successful use of its FrankenSAM air defense systems during an overnight attack launched by Russia on Wednesday.

During a briefing in Davos, Switzerland, Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries Alexander Kamyshin told reporters that the defense system shot down a Russian-launched Shahed kamikaze drone at a distance of roughly five miles. It’s unclear where the drone was intercepted, but Kamyshin’s announcement follows a statement to Facebook Wednesday morning by Kyiv’s air force that said its branch struck down 19 out of 20 Iranian-made drones launched by Russia toward southern Ukraine overnight.

It is the first time that Kyiv has announced a successful use of its FrankenSAM systems, which combine Ukraine’s Soviet-era equipment with Western-supplied missiles. According to Kamyshin, Ukraine has deployed all five of its hybrid systems on the battlefield to be used in the fight against Russia.

Newsweek reached out to Ukraine’s Defense Ministry via email on Wednesday for more information.

What Is the FrankenSAM?

The FrankenSAM systems were created by making modifications to Soviet-era missile launchers or radars that were already at Kyiv’s disposal. One combination includes tweaking the Soviet Buk launcher to fire the American RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile. Another involves combining Soviet-era radars with U.S. Sidewinder missiles.

U.S. defense officials told The New York Times in October that both systems had been through several months of testing on American military bases and were set to be delivered to Ukraine sometime that fall. Testing is still being conducted on a third FrankenSAM system as well, which would combine a U.S.-made Patriot missile and launching station with an older, Ukrainian-made radar system.

According to the Times report, the FrankenSAM program was a “brainchild” of Ukraine before American engineers started work on the improvised systems. Senior U.S. defense official Laura Cooper told the outlet in October that FrankenSAMs are “contributing to filling critical gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses, and this is the most important challenge that Ukraine faces today.”

The systems allow both the U.S. and Ukraine to use weapons already at their respective disposals in light of the congressional gridlock over signing off on new military aid packages for Kyiv. It is also a step toward building up Ukraine’s own military-industrial base. Kamyshin told reporters last month that while the development of a completely new domestic air defense system for Ukraine could take nearly five years, the hybrid systems “are quick solutions.”

Matthew Miller, U.S. State Department spokesman, said during a press briefing earlier this month that Washington plans on not supporting Ukraine’s military at the “same level” as it had been because the U.S. is helping Kyiv build up its own military production. He added, however, that America’s policy is to continue to support Ukraine “as long as it takes.”