UK to provide Ukraine with LMM missiles: what they can shoot down

Defense Express reports.

On September 6, 2024, a regular meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group is scheduled to take place to discuss the next military aid packages for Ukraine.

Amid this event, the UK Defense Ministry announced that it would provide Ukraine with 650 LMM lightweight multi-purpose missiles for use in air defense, worth £162 million, with the first missiles to arrive at the end of this year.

It is reasonable to ask what types of air targets Ukraine will be able to shoot down with British LMM missiles, and what aspect of air defense would be strengthened by the delivery of such a weapon.

To begin, it is worth noting that these LMM missiles are referred to as light multipurpose missiles because, for example, in the British Armed Forces, they are used in two ways: either for the Marlet MANPADS or the Stormer HVM short-range surface-to-air missile, or as light anti-ship missiles for the Royal Navy's Leonardo AW159 Wildcat HMA2.

In terms of LMM features, it is important to note that the launch weight of such missiles is just 13 kilograms, with a warhead weighing 3 kilos, an 8-kilometer range, and a flying speed of 1.5 Mach.

Based on the above characteristics, Ukrainian troops will be able to utilize British LMM missiles to destroy various types of enemy drones, such as reconnaissance drones near the front lines or the same Shaheds used to attack Ukraine's important infrastructure.

Furthermore, as early as April 2022, existing experience demonstrated that the British Martlet MANPADS were one of the most effective weapons against Russian UAVs.

In addition, it is significant to consider that the British have no "extra" LMM missiles. Previously, it was stated that the UK would need three years to deploy Martlet production, which proved successful against the Orlan-10, and that it was nearly a comparable order for the British Armed Forces for £176 million, although without mentioning the number of missiles ordered.

• On September 6, it was reported that the United Kingdom would provide Ukraine with 650 Light Multipurpose Missiles (LMM) under a £162 million contract to strengthen Ukraine's air defense.