The United States is preparing to sell something unusual to Ukraine: American-made missiles for Soviet S-300 air defense systems. The missiles, referred to as “S-300 Clone” in the documentation, are part of a package worth $2.68 billion approved by the State Department on September 18, funded by European partners and unused funds from American military aid, reports Defense Express.
Ukraine has numerous Soviet S-300 launchers, but not enough missiles for them. Russia refuses to sell such ammunition anymore, and a previous attempt by Ukraine to develop its own missiles led nowhere, according to Defense Mirror.
It is not a replica of the Soviet rocket 5V55
At the same time, the rocket itself is not actually a “clone” or a replica of the Soviet 5V55 rocket. According to Defense Express information, it is about a new development, with improved features and a different, more modern targeting guidance principle.
If this description is confirmed, the new rocket could allow the use of the existing infrastructure of the Ukrainian S-300 systems, while introducing more modern guidance technologies and performances.
The public information about the project is, however, limited, and details regarding the range, guidance system, manufacturer, and the number of missiles that could be delivered have not been made public.
At the same time, the American side has not made public the code name, characteristics, or manufacturer of the missiles mentioned in the State Department’s statement.
In September 2024, former U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, announced at the Ramstein contact group that Washington, in partnership with several European companies, was collaborating with Ukraine to “design and build a substitute” for the Soviet S-300 system and the air-to-air R-27 missile, used by fighter planes, according to Newsweek. However, he did not specify exactly what this substitute would consist of.
Details, HERE