What is known about the Rapid Ranger air defense systems to be purchased by Ukraine with money from the UK

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved solution on attracting 1.7 billion pounds for additional purchases of Rapid Ranger anti-aircraft systems and LMM Marlet light multipurpose missiles from the UK. «This will significantly strengthen our air defense,» said Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and thanked our British partners for their extraordinary support. Here’s what we know about the Rapid Ranger and what it can do.

What is the Rapid Ranger air defense system

British RapidRanger — automated missile system of the company Thales UK, which can respond quickly to various air and ground threats. The system weighs less than 500 kg and, thanks to its modular design, can be mounted on many types of wheeled or tracked vehicles.

The advantage of the «Rapid Ranger» is its versatility. The open architecture of the system allows it to be used with a range of missiles, including the highly effective Starstreak or Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM, also known as Martlet).

The Rapid Ranger is equipped with an optoelectronic surveillance system that provides 360° visibility and can include a panoramic long-range infrared search and track (IRST) sensor or surveillance and tracking radar. This allows it to operate independently or as part of a wider command and control network.

The system is equipped with four ready-to-launch missiles and offers precision strikes using a laser guidance beam. It has a target detection range of more than 15 km and an effective range of more than 7 km, which allows it to effectively combat drones, helicopters and low-altitude aircraft.

Compared to other short-range systems, such as the German Gepard or the US Avenger, Rapid Ranger is distinguished by its portability, mobility and resistance to heat traps due to its laser guidance beam. The British system complements existing air defense systems, filling a tactical niche in areas where other radar systems are too large and slow to deploy.

LMM Marlet missiles

The delivery of the RapidRanger air defense system is part of a larger package of British assistance, which also includes the delivery of 5,000 LMM Martlet (Lightweight Multi-role Missile).

They were designed to be as unified as possible, so they can be launched from various tactical platforms on land, in the air, or at sea against all types of targets. From armored personnel carriers and fast boats to unmanned aerial vehicles.

The LMM has rather small dimensions: length of 1.3 m, hull diameter of 76 mm and launch weight of 13 kg. A two-stage solid fuel engine provides it with a speed of Mach 1.5 and a range of over 6 km. It is equipped with a 3 kg warhead, a non-contact fuze, and a two-channel guidance system: laser at the initial and infrared at the final stage of guidance.

LMM missiles have been tested in combat conditions and have proven effective against drones in the Armed Forces. As a reminder, our defenders have been using them since 2022 as part of a tracked Stormer air defense system HVM, and in the Martlet MANPADS.

According to the soldiers, the LMM’s laser guidance gives it a significant advantage against targets such as the Russian reconnaissance drone «Orlan-10». The fact is that the infrared homing heads of other MANPADS cannot always recognize its small thermal signature.

URO VAMTAC chassis

In 2024, it became known that the British armored vehicles Stormer, which were the main mobile platform for the Starstreak and LMM Marlet missiles, would be decommissioned by the end of the decade. In search of a replacement, Thales UK turned to the URO VAMTAC tactical off-road vehicle made by the Spanish company Urovesa. It is quite similar to the American Humvee, has a 4×4 wheel configuration and can carry a launch module for Starstreak/Martlet missiles.

The new VAMTAC vehicles will not differ significantly in functionality from the Stormer HVM systems. Unlike the tracked version, they are equipped with four rather than eight missile launchers. The VAMTACs also have weaker armor, but they have a mobility advantage and can reach 135 kph thanks to a 188 hp engine.

In total, the Spanish army received 1,200 units of the URO VAMTAC all-wheel drive vehicle, and even more were purchased by the armed forces of Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.